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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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