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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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