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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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