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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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