%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ##¶@§%:«.¨
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%