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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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