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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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