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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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