^^^^^^^^
^^^^ ^^^^
^^ ^^
^ ^
^ ^
^ 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. .,~\^§#@##
^^
^^ ^^
^ ^
^^ ^^
^^