%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ,,:~/%££##
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%