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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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