********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* 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. @#**†=,¨¨¨
**
** **
* *
** **
**