========
==== ====
== ==
= =
= =
= 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. ¨¨¨^-*=@&#
==
== ==
= =
== ==
==