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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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