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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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