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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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