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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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