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= THE GLASS FACTORY. =
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,,~:£&#### 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. ##&£:~,,,,
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