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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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