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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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