========
==== ====
== ==
= =
= =
= 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. §%=:~^¨¨¨¨
==
== ==
= =
== ==
==