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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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