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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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