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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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