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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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