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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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