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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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