$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
,,~-/$$¤## 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. ##¤$$/-~,,
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$