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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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