$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
,,,^=†$£@# SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST #@£$†=^,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO @£$†=^,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† CONSIDERED POOR. †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN @£$†=^,,,,
,,,^=†$£@# YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, #@£$†=^,,,
,,^=†$£@## REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ##@£$†=^,,
,^=†$£@### CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ###@£$†=^,
,,^=†$£@## LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ##@£$†=^,,
,,,^=†$£@# PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, #@£$†=^,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ SOME ARE SHATTERED. @£$†=^,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ $$ ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= $$ $$ =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† ======= $ $ ======= †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ $$ $$ $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ $$ £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ @£$†=^,,,,
,,,^=†$£@# I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE #@£$†=^,,,
,,^=†$£@## OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ##@£$†=^,,
,^=†$£@### OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ###@£$†=^,
,,^=†$£@## DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ##@£$†=^,,
,,,^=†$£@# BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF #@£$†=^,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO @£$†=^,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT @£$†=^,,,,
,,,^=†$£@# LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND #@£$†=^,,,
,,^=†$£@## TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ##@£$†=^,,
,^=†$£@### A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ###@£$†=^,
,,^=†$£@## STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ##@£$†=^,,
,,,^=†$£@# BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN #@£$†=^,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING @£$†=^,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ LIT FROM BEHIND. £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† $$ †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ $$ $$ $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ ======= $ $ ======= £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ $$ $$ @£$†=^,,,,
,,,^=†$£@# $$ #@£$†=^,,,
,,^=†$£@## ##@£$†=^,,
,^=†$£@### 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. =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, $$ ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, $$ $$ ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ======= $ $ ======= ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ $$ $$ ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= $$ =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE @£$†=^,,,,
,,,^=†$£@# STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, #@£$†=^,,,
,,^=†$£@## CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ##@£$†=^,,
,^=†$£@### FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ###@£$†=^,
,,^=†$£@## SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ##@£$†=^,,
,,,^=†$£@# AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. #@£$†=^,,,
,,,,^=†$£@ @£$†=^,,,,
,,,,,^=†$£ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER £$†=^,,,,,
,,,,,,^=†$ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK $†=^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^=† GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND †=^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^= I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE =^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,,,,,,,,
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$