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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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