$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
##@$$;=:.. 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. ..:=;$$@##
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$