%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ##@*%†~~¨¨
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%