††††††††
†††† ††††
†† ††
† †
† †
† 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. #¤%†*»:,,,
††
†† ††
† †
†† ††
††