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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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