********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. @@@&*==-..
**
** **
* *
** **
**