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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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