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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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