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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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