%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ,,,,.~=%&&
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%