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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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