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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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