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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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