%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. .:~\%@##
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%