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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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