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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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