********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. @@*†~,¨¨¨¨
**
** **
* *
** **
**