††††††††
†††† ††††
†† ††
† †
† †
† 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨:«*
††
†† ††
† †
†† ††
††