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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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