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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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-\
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ------- § § ------- ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
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¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 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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