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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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