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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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