%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ¤&%\~.¨¨¨¨
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%