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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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