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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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