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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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