********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. @@¤%*^«.¨¨
**
** **
* *
** **
**