%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. #¶#¤%\~.¨¨
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%