§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ 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. £££§:~^,,,
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§