********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
**
** **
* *
** **
**