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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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