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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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