§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ 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. §§*«.¨¨¨¨¨
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§