%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% 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. ,,,,,,~*%¤
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%