********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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 ¨¨¨¨¨¨-=†*
$*†=-¨¨¨¨¨ I See There'S Something Faint Inside ¨¨¨¨¨-=†*$
¤$*†=-¨¨¨¨ Them. Embryos? Are These Eggs? ¨¨¨¨-=†*$¤
#¤$*†=-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-=†*$¤#
##¤$*†=-¨¨ I Shudder, And Climb Back Out. ¨¨-=†*$¤##
**
** **
* *
** **
**