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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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