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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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