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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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