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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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