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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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