========
==== ====
== ==
= =
= =
= 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. ,,,,^~=§##
==
== ==
= =
== ==
==