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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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