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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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