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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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.,-=%@#@## 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. @#@%=-,...
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