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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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