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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. ¨~~%*¤£###
##£¤*%~~¨¨ ¨¨~~%*¤£##
#£¤*%~~¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨~~%*¤£#
£¤*%~~¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨~~%*¤£
¤*%~~¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨~~%*¤
*%~~¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨~~%*
%~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~%
~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 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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