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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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