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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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