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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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