%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ###¤%%\«^¨
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%