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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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