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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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