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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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¨,-**&#£## 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. ##£#&**-,¨
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