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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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