$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ the glass factory. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ several centuries after it had last ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ belonged to us, we went on an outing to ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ the glass factory that bore our family ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ name. it had changed owners many times ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ since our ancestors death, and then ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ stood abandoned for a long while. ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ finally, the natural end station for ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
##@@¤$=-^¨ the buildings that survive: a museum, ¨^-=$¤@@##
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ and a gift shop. ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ there's a long time since my family ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ made anything. by many, we would be ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ considered poor. ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ there are two main factory buildings, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ domed things of several floors, made in ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ yellow brick. large but narrow windows, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ reminescent of some cathedral. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ custom-made glass, of course, large and ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ leaded, and ashen. a bit too dark to be ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ practical. on the eastern building, ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ some are shattered. ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ the other one is publicly open. there's ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ a museum, with wax figures of my great ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
##@@¤$=-^¨ great great grandfather, or something. ¨^-=$¤@@##
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ various tools (or replicas) laid out on ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ tables, with explaining texts. a lot of ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ glass of varying thickness. ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ------- $ $ ------- ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ i quickly sneak out, and climb into the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ other building. the contrast is ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ overwhelming. it must have stood ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ derelict for a long time, windows ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ broken, metallic trash and pools of ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ dark glass all over the floor. no ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ electric lights, but i can see by the ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
##@@¤$=-^¨ light that shines in wherever the dark ¨^-=$¤@@##
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ windows are missing a pane. ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ however, the greatest difference is the ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ higher floors: this building has none. ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ it is one massive hall, stretching away ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ infinitely above me. somewhere up there ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ is some great iron latticework, from ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ where chains are suspended, and parts ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ of machinery has been falling down. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ there is, in the middle of the great ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ hall, a thin spiral staircase that ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ leads up there. i sneak over there, and ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ take a few reluctant steps. after just ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ a revolution, i notice that for each ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ step the building starts to glow, the ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ bricks turning a dark red, and then ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
##@@¤$=-^¨ orange, all the piled up debree being ¨^-=$¤@@##
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ lit from behind. ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ i stop ready to run down and out, but ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ there's someone else on the staircase ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ with me now, pressed close. he's ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ looking like me, short hair and thin ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ arms, but with ears from some animal, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ and more disturbingly, completely made ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ of dark liquid glass. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ------- $ $ ------- ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ $$ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ $$ ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ ------- $ $ ------- ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ $$ $$ ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ $$ ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
##@@¤$=-^¨ a large clunk shakes my entire body, ¨^-=$¤@@##
#@@¤$=-^¨¨ and snaps me back into reality. i'm ¨¨^-=$¤@@#
@@¤$=-^¨¨¨ back at the factory floor, but the ¨¨¨^-=$¤@@
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ stairs are still moving slightly, ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ clicking in place, carrying me the last ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ few centimeters. i came from below, ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ somehow. the chainmail is retracted, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ and i slowly dismount the stairs. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ shaking and crying, i make my way over ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the factory floor, wading through dark ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ glass marbles. a quick glance down, and ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-
=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ i see there's something faint inside ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=
$=-^¨¨¨¨¨¨ them. embryos? are these eggs? ¨¨¨¨¨¨^-=$
¤$=-^¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨^-=$¤
@¤$=-^¨¨¨¨ i shudder, and climb back out. ¨¨¨¨^-=$¤@
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$