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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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