§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ 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. &§*-~¨¨¨¨¨
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§