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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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