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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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