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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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