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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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