========
==== ====
== ==
= =
= =
= 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. =†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨
==
== ==
= =
== ==
==