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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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