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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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