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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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