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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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