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^ THE GLASS FACTORY. ^
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¤^^=~,,,,, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, ^^ ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, ======= ^ ^ ======= ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, ^^ ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, ^^ ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, ======= ^ ^ ======= ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, ^^ ^^ ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, ^^ ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, FLOOR. ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, BECOME STILL. ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, ^^ ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, ======= ^ ^ ======= ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, ^^ ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,,~=^^¤§£
§¤^^=~,,,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,,,~=^^¤§
¤^^=~,,,,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,,,,~=^^¤
^^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^^
¤^^=~,,,,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,,,,~=^^¤
§¤^^=~,,,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,,,~=^^¤§
£§¤^^=~,,, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,,,~=^^¤§£
#£§¤^^=~,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,~=^^¤§£#
##£§¤^^=~, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,~=^^¤§£##
#£§¤^^=~,, ,,~=^^¤§£#
£§¤^^=~,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,~=^^¤§£
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