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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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