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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. ¨¨¨¨¨.«^%&
%^«.¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨.«^%
^«.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.«^
«.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.«
^«.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ««««««« % % ««««««« ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.«^
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&%^«.¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨.«^%&
£&%^«.¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨.«^%&£
#£&%^«.¨¨¨ 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. ¨¨¨¨¨.«^%&
%^«.¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨.«^%
^«.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.«^
«.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.«
^«.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ««««««« % % ««««««« ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.«^
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&%^«.¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨.«^%&
£&%^«.¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨.«^%&£
#£&%^«.¨¨¨ 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. ¨¨¨¨.«^%&£
&%^«.¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨.«^%&
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%^«.¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨.«^%
&%^«.¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨.«^%&
£&%^«.¨¨¨¨ 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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