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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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