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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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