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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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