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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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