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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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