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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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