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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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¨¨¨=*§£&## 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. ####&£§*=¨
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