$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
¨¨,~:$@£@# SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ AND A GIFT SHOP. $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# CONSIDERED POOR. #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ SOME ARE SHATTERED. @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ $$ $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: $$ $$ :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ $$ $$ @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ $$ £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# LIT FROM BEHIND. #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# $$ #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## $$ $$ ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ $$ $$ @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ $$ £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ 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. @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: $$ :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ $$ $$ $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ $$ $$ £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ $$ @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$@ @$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$@£@## I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ##@£@$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$@£@# THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? #@£@$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$@£@ @£@$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$@£ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. £@$:~,¨¨¨¨
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$