%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. $%*«-¨¨¨¨¨
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%