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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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