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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. :,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,: ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ :,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,:~\§ §\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~\§& 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. ,,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,: §§ :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ §§ §§ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\§ §§ §§ §\~:,,,,,,
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,,,,:~\§&# #&§\~:,,,,
,,,:~\§&#@ 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. §\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ §§ ~:,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,:~ 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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