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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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