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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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