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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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¨,=*%@£### 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. ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
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