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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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