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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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