%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. @*%†~,....
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%