%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ##§%;-~¨¨¨
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%