========
==== ====
== ==
= =
= =
= 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. /~:,,,,,,,
==
== ==
= =
== ==
==