§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ 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. £&§*~~¨¨¨¨
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§