********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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 ¨¨¨¨¨¨--:*
$*:--¨¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨¨--:*$
#$*:--¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨--:*$#
@#$*:--¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨--:*$#@
**
** **
* *
** **
**