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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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