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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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