$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
¨¨-~\$$£#@ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST @#£$$\~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~\$$£# 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. @#£$$\~-¨¨
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$