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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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