%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
% %
% %
%% %%
%%%% %%%%
%%%%%%%%
^=;%$£#@## SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## AND A GIFT SHOP. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## CONSIDERED POOR. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# SOME ARE SHATTERED. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## %% ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# %% %% #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ======= % % ======= ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# %% %% #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## %% ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## LIT FROM BEHIND. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## %% ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# %% %% #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ======= % % ======= ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# %% %% #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## %% ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# FLOOR. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# BECOME STILL. #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# %% #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## %% %% ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# ======= % % ======= #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## %% %% ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# %% #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ##@#£$%;=^
¨^=;%$£#@# #@#£$%;=^¨
^=;%$£#@## I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ##@#£$%;=^
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%