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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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