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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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