††††††††
†††† ††††
†† ††
† †
† †
† 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. ##@¶¤†;»^,
††
†† ††
† †
†† ††
††