§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ TH3 GL4SS FACTORY. §
§ §
§ §
§§ §§
§§§§ §§§§
§§§§§§§§
¨¨^«*§&@¶# S3VER4L C3NTUR1ES 4FT3R 1T H4D L4ST #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## B3LONGED TO US, W3 W3NT ON 4N OUT1NG TO ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# TH3 GL4SS F4CTORY TH4T BOR3 OUR F4M1LY #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ N4M3. 1T H4D CH4NG3D OWN3RS M4NY T1M3S ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ S1NC3 OUR 4NC3STORS D34TH, 4ND TH3N @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& STOOD 4BANDON3D FOR 4 LONG WH1L3. &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ F1N4LLY, TH3 N4TURAL 3ND ST4T1ON FOR §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* TH3 BU1LDINGS TH4T SURV1V3: 4 MUS3UM, *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ 4ND 4 G1FT SHOP. §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ TH3RE'S 4 LONG T1M3 S1NC3 MY F4M1LY @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ M4D3 4NYTH1NG. BY M4NY, W3 WOULD B3 ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# CONS1D3RED POOR. #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# TH3RE 4R3 TWO M41N F4CTORY BU1LDINGS, #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ DOM3D TH1NGS OF S3VER4L FLOORS, M4D3 1N ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ Y3LLOW BR1CK. L4RG3 BUT N4RROW W1NDOWS, @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& R3M1NESCENT OF SOM3 C4TH3DRAL. &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ CUSTOM-M4D3 GL4SS, OF COURS3, L4RG3 4ND §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* L34D3D, 4ND 4SH3N. 4 B1T TOO D4RK TO B3 *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ PR4CT1CAL. ON TH3 34STERN BU1LDING, §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& SOM3 4R3 SH4TT3RED. &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ TH3 OTH3R ON3 1S PUBL1CLY OP3N. TH3RE'S ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# 4 MUS3UM, W1TH W4X F1GUR3S OF MY GR34T #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## GR34T GR34T GR4NDFATH3R, OR SOM3TH1NG. ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# V4R1OUS TOOLS (OR R3PL1C4S) L41D OUT ON #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ T4BL3S, W1TH 3XPL41NING T3XTS. 4 LOT OF ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ GL4SS OF V4RY1NG TH1CKN3SS. @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ §§ §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* §§ §§ *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ ««««««« § § ««««««« §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& §§ §§ &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ §§ @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# 1 QU1CKLY SN34K OUT, 4ND CL1MB 1NTO TH3 #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## OTH3R BU1LDING. TH3 CONTR4ST 1S ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# OV3RWHELM1NG. 1T MUST H4V3 STOOD #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ D3REL1CT FOR 4 LONG T1M3, W1NDOWS ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ BROK3N, M3T4LL1C TR4SH 4ND POOLS OF @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& D4RK GL4SS 4LL OV3R TH3 FLOOR. NO &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ 3LECTR1C L1GHTS, BUT 1 C4N S3E BY TH3 §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* L1GHT TH4T SH1N3S 1N WH3REVER TH3 D4RK *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ W1NDOWS 4R3 M1SSING 4 P4N3. §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ HOW3VER, TH3 GR34TEST D1FF3RENCE 1S TH3 @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ H1GH3R FLOORS: TH1S BU1LDING H4S NON3. ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# 1T 1S ON3 M4SS1V3 H4LL, STR3TCH1NG 4WAY #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## 1NFINIT3LY 4BOV3 M3. SOM3WHERE UP TH3RE ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# 1S SOM3 GR34T 1RON L4TT1C3WORK, FROM #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ WH3RE CH41NS 4R3 SUSP3NDED, 4ND P4RTS ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ OF M4CH1N3RY H4S B3EN F4LL1NG DOWN. @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ TH3RE 1S, 1N TH3 M1DDL3 OF TH3 GR34T §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* H4LL, 4 TH1N SP1R4L ST41RCAS3 TH4T *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ L34DS UP TH3RE. 1 SN34K OV3R TH3RE, 4ND §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& T4K3 4 F3W R3LUCT4NT ST3PS. 4FT3R JUST &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ 4 R3VOLUT1ON, 1 NOT1C3 TH4T FOR 34CH @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ ST3P TH3 BU1LDING ST4RTS TO GLOW, TH3 ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# BR1CKS TURN1NG 4 D4RK R3D, 4ND TH3N #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## OR4NG3, 4LL TH3 P1L3D UP D3BREE B31NG ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# L1T FROM B3H1ND. #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ 1 STOP R34DY TO RUN DOWN 4ND OUT, BUT @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& TH3RE'S SOM3ONE 3LSE ON TH3 ST41RCAS3 &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ W1TH M3 NOW, PR3SSED CLOS3. H3'S §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* LOOK1NG L1K3 M3, SHORT H41R 4ND TH1N *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ 4RMS, BUT W1TH 34RS FROM SOM3 4N1MAL, §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& 4ND MOR3 D1STURBINGLY, COMPL3TELY M4D3 &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ OF D4RK L1QUID GL4SS. @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# §§ #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## §§ §§ ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# ««««««« § § ««««««« #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ §§ §§ ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ §§ @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ MY F34R HOLDS M3 1N PL4C3 WH1L3 H3 §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* ST4RTS OP3R4T1NG L3VERS 4ND D14LS S3T *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ 1N TH3 C3NTER OF TH3 ST41RCAS3. SLOWLY, §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& 1T ST4RTS SP1NNING, C1RCLING UPW4RDS. &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ 1T'S 4N 3LEV4TOR! 1 ST4RT TO RUN @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ DOWNW4RDS, BUT NOW TH3 L1QUID BOY ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# CR34TURE GR4BS HOLD OF M3. 1 TRY TO #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## SH4K3 H1M OFF, BUT H3'S TOO STRONG, 4ND ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# PULLS M3 B4CK UP B3S1DE H1M. #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ TH1S T1M3, 1 TURN 4NGRY 1NST34D. WH4T @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& TH3 H3LL? WHO 1S TH1S GUY, 4CT1NG L1K3 &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ TH1S? 1 R34CH OUT MY FR3E 4RM 4ND SL4M §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* 4 R4NDOM L3VER. SOM3 M3T4L B4R 1S *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ SUDD3NLY R3LE4SED B3TWEEN US, H1TTING §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& H1M ON TH3 4RM, FORC1NG MY R3LE4SE. 1 &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ SHOV3 H1M OFF OF M3, 4ND H3 F4LLS 1NTO @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ TH3 L3VERS, M3SS1NG TH3M UP. ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# 1MM3DI4TELY, 4 TH1N RUSTY CH41NMAIL #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## CURT41N 1S DROPP3D 4ROUND M3. BUT TH3 ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# 3LEV4TOR 4LSO SP3EDS UP S1GNIFIC4NTLY. #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ TH3 W4LLS 4R3 FL4R1NG NOW, Y3LLOW, @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& WH1T3, 4LMOST BLU3. 1 CLOS3 MY 3YES 4ND &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ CURL 1NTO 4 B4LL. BUT TH3N, TH3 GL4SS §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* BOY SCR34MS, 4 P13RCING SOUND TH4T *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ FORC3S MY 3YES B4CK OP3N. 1 W4TCH 4S H3 §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& B3COMES TOO L1QUID, H1S BODY POOL1NG &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ DOWN 1N H1S NOW M4SS1V3 T41L, 4ND TH3 @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ T1P OF 1T SUDD3NLY BR34KS OF 1N 4 GL4SS ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# DROP TH4T F4LLS TOW4RD TH3 F4CTORY #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## FLOOR. ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ H3'S CR4WL1NG ON TH3 ST41RS, UN4BL3 TO ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ K3EP H1S BODY UPR1GHT. C4N'T R34CH TH3 @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& L3VERS, CL4WS 4T MY CH41NMAIL C4G3, &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ WH1L3 H1S BODY 1S TURN1NG 1NTO D4RK §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* P34RLS. F1N4LLY, H3'S LOST TOO MUCH OF *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ H1MS3LF 4ND TH3 SCR34M 1S CUT SHORT. §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& TH3 L4ST OF H1M R41NS DOWN. &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ 1 ST1LL C4N'T R34CH TH3 L3VERS FROM ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# W1THIN MY C4G3. LOOK1NG UP, 1 TRY TO #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## M4K3 OUT TH3 C31LING, BUT 1T'S 4LL 4 ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# WH1RLING S34 OF COLOURS. B3LOW M3 GLOWS #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ TH3 H3LLF1RE OF TH3 F4CTORY W4LLS, BUT ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ V3RY F41NT. 1 S1T DOWN, CURL B4CK UP, @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& B3COME ST1LL. &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* §§ *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ §§ §§ §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& ««««««« § § ««««««« &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ §§ §§ @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ §§ ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## 4 L4RG3 CLUNK SH4K3S MY 3NT1RE BODY, ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# 4ND SN4PS M3 B4CK 1NTO R34L1TY. 1'M #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ B4CK 4T TH3 F4CTORY FLOOR, BUT TH3 ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ ST41RS 4R3 ST1LL MOV1NG SL1GHTLY, @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& CL1CKING 1N PL4C3, C4RRY1NG M3 TH3 L4ST &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ F3W C3NT1METERS. 1 C4M3 FROM B3LOW, §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«* SOM3HOW. TH3 CH41NMAIL 1S R3TR4CTED, *«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^«*§ 4ND 1 SLOWLY D1SMOUNT TH3 ST41RS. §*«^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*§& &§*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ SH4K1NG 4ND CRY1NG, 1 M4K3 MY W4Y OV3R @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ TH3 F4CTORY FLOOR, W4D1NG THROUGH D4RK ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# GL4SS M4RBL3S. 4 QU1CK GL4NC3 DOWN, 4ND #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨^«*§&@¶## 1 S3E TH3RE'S SOM3TH1NG F41NT 1NSID3 ##¶@&§*«^¨
¨¨^«*§&@¶# TH3M. 3MBRYOS? 4R3 TH3SE 3GGS? #¶@&§*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*§&@¶ ¶@&§*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*§&@ 1 SHUDD3R, 4ND CL1MB B4CK OUT. @&§*«^¨¨¨¨
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§