%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ,:~^%%¤@##
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%