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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. ¨¨¨--;%§¤#
##¤§%;--¨¨ ¨¨--;%§¤##
###¤§%;--¨ %% ¨--;%§¤###
####¤§%;-- %% %% --;%§¤####
###¤§%;--¨ ------- % % ------- ¨--;%§¤###
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#¤§%;--¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨--;%§¤#
¤§%;--¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨--;%§¤
§%;--¨¨¨¨¨ 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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