%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ¨¨¨.«;%@£#
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%