§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ 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. ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§