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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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