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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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