$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
¨¨,~\$$@## SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ##@$$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$$@### 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 ###@$$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$$@## THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ##@$$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$$@# #@$$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$$@ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. @$$\~,¨¨¨¨
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$