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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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