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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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