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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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