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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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