********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. @¶¤£*^«:¨¨
**
** **
* *
** **
**