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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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