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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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