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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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