********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. ###%*/~:,,
**
** **
* *
** **
**