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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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