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