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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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