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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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