%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ##£¤%:«.¨¨
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%