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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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