††††††††
†††† ††††
†† ††
† †
† †
† 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^»
††
†† ††
† †
†† ††
††