††††††††
†††† ††††
†† ††
† †
† †
† 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
††
†† ††
† †
†† ††
††