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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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