§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ 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. ,,,,:~/§*#
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§