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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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