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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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