========
==== ====
== ==
= =
= =
= 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~/=
==
== ==
= =
== ==
==