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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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