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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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