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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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