========
==== ====
== ==
= =
= =
= 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. £=;~~¨¨¨¨¨
==
== ==
= =
== ==
==