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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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