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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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