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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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