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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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