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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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