%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
% %
% %
%% %%
%%%% %%%%
%%%%%%%%
###§$%/=:, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, %% ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, %% %% ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, ======= % % ======= ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, %% %% ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, %% ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, %% ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, %% %% ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, ======= % % ======= ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, %% %% ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, %% ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, FLOOR. ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, %% ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, %% %% ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, ======= % % ======= ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, %% %% ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, %% ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,,,,:=/%$
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
#§$%/=:,,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,,:=/%$§#
##§$%/=:,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,:=/%$§##
###§$%/=:, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,:=/%$§###
##§$%/=:,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,:=/%$§##
#§$%/=:,,, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,,,:=/%$§#
§$%/=:,,,, ,,,,:=/%$§
$%/=:,,,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,,,:=/%$
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%