$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ The Glass factory. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
¨,~\$&§### Several Centuries After It Had Last ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Belonged To Us, We Went On An Outing To ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# The Glass Factory That Bore Our Family #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Name. It Had Changed Owners Many Times §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& Since Our Ancestors Death, And Then &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Stood Abandoned For A Long While. §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Finally, The Natural End Station For #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## The Buildings That Survive: A Museum, ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### And A Gift Shop. ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# There'S A Long Time Since My Family #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Made Anything. By Many, We Would Be §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& Considered Poor. &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# There Are Two Main Factory Buildings, #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Domed Things Of Several Floors, Made In ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### Yellow Brick. Large But Narrow Windows, ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Reminescent Of Some Cathedral. ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Custom-Made Glass, Of Course, Large And #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ LeadEd, And Ashen. A Bit Too Dark To Be §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& Practical. On The Eastern Building, &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Some Are Shattered. §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## The Other One Is Publicly Open. There'S ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### A Museum, With Wax Figures Of My Great ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Great Great Grandfather, Or Something. ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Various Tools (Or Replicas) Laid Out On #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Tables, With Explaining Texts. A Lot Of §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& Glass Of Varying Thickness. &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# $$ #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## $$ $$ ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## $$ $$ ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# $$ #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& I Quickly Sneak Out, And Climb Into The &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Other Building. The Contrast Is §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Overwhelming. It Must Have Stood #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Derelict For A Long Time, Windows ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### Broken, Metallic Trash And Pools Of ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Dark Glass All Over The Floor. No ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Electric Lights, But I Can See By The #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Light That Shines In Wherever The Dark §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& Windows Are Missing A Pane. &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# However, The Greatest Difference Is The #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Higher Floors: This Building Has None. ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### It Is One Massive Hall, Stretching Away ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Infinitely Above Me. Somewhere Up There ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Is Some Great Iron Latticework, From #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Where Chains Are Suspended, And Parts §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& Of Machinery Has Been Falling Down. &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# There Is, In The Middle Of The Great #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Hall, A Thin Spiral Staircase That ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### Leads Up There. I Sneak Over There, And ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Take A Few Reluctant Steps. After Just ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# A Revolution, I Notice That For Each #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Step The Building Starts To Glow, The §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& Bricks Turning A Dark Red, And Then &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Orange, All The Piled Up Debree Being §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Lit From Behind. #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### I Stop Ready To Run Down And Out, But ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## There'S Someone Else On The Staircase ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# With Me Now, Pressed Close. He'S #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Looking Like Me, Short Hair And Thin §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& Arms, But With Ears From Some Animal, &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ And More Disturbingly, Completely Made §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Of Dark Liquid glass. #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### $$ ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## $$ $$ ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ $$ $$ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& $$ &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# 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. §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## $$ ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### $$ $$ ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# $$ $$ #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ $$ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ A Large Clunk Shakes My Entire Body, §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# And Snaps Me Back Into Reality. I'M #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Back At The Factory Floor, But The ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### Stairs Are Still Moving Slightly, ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## Clicking In Place, Carrying Me The Last ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Few Centimeters. I Came From Below, #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ Somehow. The Chainmail Is Retracted, §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& And I Slowly Dismount The Stairs. &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Shaking And Crying, I Make My Way Over #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~\$&§## The Factory Floor, Wading Through Dark ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨,~\$&§### Glass Marbles. A Quick Glance Down, And ###§&$\~,¨
¨¨,~\$&§## I See There'S Something Faint Inside ##§&$\~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~\$&§# Them. Embryos? Are These Eggs? #§&$\~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~\$&§ §&$\~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~\$& I Shudder, And Climb Back Out. &$\~,¨¨¨¨¨
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$