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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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