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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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