%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ..^=/%¤#@#
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%