††††††††
†††† ††††
†† ††
† †
† †
† 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. ,,^«;†*@@#
††
†† ††
† †
†† ††
††