********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. ,,,,,,.~:*
**
** **
* *
** **
**