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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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