††††††††
†††† ††††
†† ††
† †
† †
† the glass factory. †
† †
† †
†† ††
†††† ††††
††††††††
¨¨¨¨:=^†@§ 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
††
†† ††
† †
†† ††
††