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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. ,,,,,,^»\§
\»^,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,^»\
»^,,,,,,,, §§ ,,,,,,,,^»
^,,,,,,,,, §§ §§ ,,,,,,,,,^
,,,,,,,,,, »»»»»»» § § »»»»»»» ,,,,,,,,,,
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»^,,,,,,,, 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. ,,,,,,,,^»
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,,,,,,,,,, §§ ,,,,,,,,,,
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^,,,,,,,,, §§ §§ ,,,,,,,,,^
»^,,,,,,,, §§ ,,,,,,,,^»
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§\»^,,,,,, 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. ,,,,,,,^»\
§\»^,,,,,, ,,,,,,^»\§
$§\»^,,,,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,,,,^»\§$
§$§\»^,,,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,,,^»\§$§
#§$§\»^,,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,,^»\§$§#
##§$§\»^,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,^»\§$§##
###§$§\»^, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,^»\§$§###
##§$§\»^,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,^»\§$§##
#§$§\»^,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,^»\§$§#
§$§\»^,,,, ,,,,^»\§$§
$§\»^,,,,, §§ ,,,,,^»\§$
§\»^,,,,,, §§ §§ ,,,,,,^»\§
\»^,,,,,,, »»»»»»» § § »»»»»»» ,,,,,,,^»\
»^,,,,,,,, §§ §§ ,,,,,,,,^»
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,,,,,,,,,, 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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