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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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