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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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