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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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