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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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