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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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