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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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