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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. ,,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,, §§ ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: §§ §§ :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~; §§ §§ ;~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~;§ §§ §;~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~;§£ £§;~:,,,,,
,,,,:~;§£& 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. ,,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,:~ §§ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~; §§ §§ ;~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~;§ ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ §;~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~;§£ §§ §§ £§;~:,,,,,
,,,,:~;§£& §§ &£§;~:,,,,
,,,:~;§£&# #&£§;~:,,,
,,:~;§£&#@ 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. ;~:,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,, §§ §§ ,,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,:~ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~; 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? ~:,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,,,,,,,,
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