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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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