PART 1
It is a highly reflective object of an extraordinarily irregular shape. Its peculiarity has caused you to stop; to forget your objective. You become aware of the unearthly brightness of this place. Your attention returns to the object. You gaze at its lustrous surface and notice that it is not completely opaque, but slightly transparent. There seems to be life within it. You sense that what is visible is just the pinnacle of an object of great depth. You are eager to discover the nature of this object’s contents. You move closer. You catch glimpses of blurring colours and shifting shapes. However, despite your best efforts, you cannot make sense of these images. You move closer still. But this proves to be counterproductive. From this proximity you can discern nothing but your own reflection looking imploringly back at you. ‘Move out of the way!’ you tell yourself. The more intently you look at the object, the harsher the light becomes. The light continues to intensify to a point where you can almost hear it ringing in your ears. This glaring light and the reflectivity of the object’s surface combine to create an intolerable situation.
You are forced to retreat to the shadows.
You are forced to retreat to the shadows.
PART 2
As your eyes adjust to the shade, you notice a staircase directly ahead of you. You cannot see where it terminates. Only the lower section is distinguishable in this umbrous lair. The plushness of the carpet covering the threads and the sinuous balustrade prove to be a temptation you cannot resist. You begin to make your ascent.The staircase seems unending and your mind begins to wander back to that strange object. Just as you think of it, the light returns.You look at the surrounding landscape. It strikes you that, as you make your ascent, the radius of the light shining on the landscape widens. It is almost as if you are the light source…
You eventually reach the top of the staircase. The terminus is an open-air viewing platform. You wonder what that curious object looks like from this lofty position. You go to the edge and gaze down.What you see is fascinating and disturbing in equal measure. The diffuse spread of light shows you that the object is not embedded in any solid substance but is held in place by countless figures!
You eventually reach the top of the staircase. The terminus is an open-air viewing platform. You wonder what that curious object looks like from this lofty position. You go to the edge and gaze down.What you see is fascinating and disturbing in equal measure. The diffuse spread of light shows you that the object is not embedded in any solid substance but is held in place by countless figures!
PART 3
‘How had I not noticed these figures before? How rude they must think me! I had trampled and climbed all over them, distracted by that shiny object!’
Your mind races with such thoughts. Overcome with a sense of both astonishment and disgust you hastily make your descent, two threads at a time. It occurs to you that perhaps these figures will know how to open the object, or even just be able to describe its contents. Either would suffice. The more you think about these figures the dimmer the light seems to glow. By the time you reach the bottom, the light has almost completely vanished. It is so dim that you can no longer see the object, you can just about make out the figures who support it.
Your mind races with such thoughts. Overcome with a sense of both astonishment and disgust you hastily make your descent, two threads at a time. It occurs to you that perhaps these figures will know how to open the object, or even just be able to describe its contents. Either would suffice. The more you think about these figures the dimmer the light seems to glow. By the time you reach the bottom, the light has almost completely vanished. It is so dim that you can no longer see the object, you can just about make out the figures who support it.
PART 4
You approach one of the figures and ask of the object and its contents. Either he does not hear your voice or does not understand your question. He continues to speak only of his own story. You approach another figure and again she will not answer you. It strikes you that perhaps you are the only one aware of the object which they hold in place. You grow increasingly frustrated. ‘What is inside this damned object?!’ A faint light emerges making the object visible once again.
PART 5
A sweeping realization comes over you; the object is not a container at all. Nor is it an object to be looked at. It is a device to be looked through. It is a lens. It is a multifaceted lens, each facet carved by the figure which has touched it. The glare has turned to a glow, mirror to window.