$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ AND A GIFT SHOP. $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ CONSIDERED POOR. @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨^-:$¤&@@# #@@&¤$:-^¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ $$ @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨^-:$¤&@@# $$ $$ #@@&¤$:-^¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ ------- $ $ ------- @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ $$ $$ @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& $$ &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨^-:$¤&@@# INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE #@@&¤$:-^¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ LIT FROM BEHIND. $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨^-:$¤&@@# LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN #@@&¤$:-^¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ $$ $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: $$ $$ :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- ------- $ $ ------- -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ $$ $$ ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- 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. ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: $$ :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- $$ $$ -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ ------- $ $ ------- ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ $$ ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨^-:$¤&@@# SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, #@@&¤$:-^¨
¨¨^-:$¤&@@ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. @@&¤$:-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-:$¤&@ @&¤$:-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-:$¤& SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER &¤$:-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-:$¤ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¤$:-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-:$ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND $:-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-: I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE :-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$