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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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