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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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