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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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