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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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