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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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