^^^^^^^^
^^^^ ^^^^
^^ ^^
^ ^
^ ^
^ 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. ##@&¤^/«-¨
^^
^^ ^^
^ ^
^^ ^^
^^