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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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