††††††††
†††† ††††
†† ††
† †
† †
† 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. †=«,¨¨¨¨¨¨
††
†† ††
† †
†† ††
††