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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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