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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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