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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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