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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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