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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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