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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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