$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
##@@@§$:~, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, CONSIDERED POOR. ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, $$ ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, $$ $$ ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, $$ $$ ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, $$ ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, $$ ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, $$ $$ ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, $$ $$ ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, $$ ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, 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. ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, $$ ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, $$ $$ ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, $$ $$ ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, $$ ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,~:$§@@@##
#@@@§$:~,, ,,~:$§@@@#
##@@@§$:~, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,~:$§@@@##
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$