********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
**
** **
* *
** **
**