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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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