^^^^^^^^
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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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