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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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