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* the glass factory. *
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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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