^^^^^^^^
^^^^ ^^^^
^^ ^^
^ ^
^ ^
^ 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. .,=\^@§###
^^
^^ ^^
^ ^
^^ ^^
^^