§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ 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. ##§§§*»,¨¨
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§