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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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