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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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