********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨^»†*
**
** **
* *
** **
**