========
==== ====
== ==
= =
= =
= 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. ¨¨¨¨¨-»\=*
==
== ==
= =
== ==
==