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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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