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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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