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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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