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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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