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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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