$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$% BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO %$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$%§ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY §%$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$%§£ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES £§%$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$%§£# SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN #£§%$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$%§£## STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ##£§%$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$%§£# FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR #£§%$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$%§£ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, £§%$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$%§ AND A GIFT SHOP. §%$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$% %$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~ CONSIDERED POOR. ~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$% TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF %$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$%§ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. §%$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$%§£ £§%$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$%§£# $$ #£§%$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$%§£## $$ $$ ##£§%$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$%§£# ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ #£§%$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$%§£ $$ $$ £§%$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$%§ $$ §%$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$% %$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$% %$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$%§ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT §%$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$%§£ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT £§%$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$%§£# LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND #£§%$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$%§£## TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ##£§%$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$%§£# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #£§%$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$%§£ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE £§%$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$%§ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN §%$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$% ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING %$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ LIT FROM BEHIND. $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ $$ $$ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, $$ $$ ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~ $$ ~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, $$ ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~ $$ $$ ~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ $$ $$ $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$% $$ %$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$%§ §%$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$%§£ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, £§%$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:$%§£# AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M #£§%$:~,¨¨
¨,~:$%§£## BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ##£§%$:~,¨
¨¨,~:$%§£# STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, #£§%$:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:$%§£ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST £§%$:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:$%§ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, §%$:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:$% SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, %$:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:$ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. $:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~: :~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,~ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ~,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$