%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ¨¨,»:%£#
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%