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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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