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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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