%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%