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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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