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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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