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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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