Quandary City

Captolaus’s skyline is considered impressive to the residents of the city, but to a passersby or approaching traveler, it is suffocating and gaudy. Enormous skyscrapers contest with the clouds, looming from the ground and piercing the sky with glittering tips. There is nothing modest or humble about these skyscrapers. Each one strives to be more magnificent than the last, in a vain attempt to sculpt a sweeping visage of grandeur and majesty. With no smaller buildings to put the skyscrapers in perspective, however, the resulting effect is overwhelming and difficult to comprehend. Visitors and passersby tend to keep their gaze downcast when in the presence of these assailing buildings. Whoever falls under their enormous shadow is immediately smothered by a sense of crushing oppression.

            If, despite this uncomfortable preceding atmosphere, one decides to enter the city anyway, it is quickly discovered that prolonged exposure to these buildings results in a numbing of the mind. Eventually the overpowering effect of the buildings diminishes. When approached individually, their astounding enormity becomes bearable, and even pleasurable to view on their own. Up close, each separate skyscraper possesses an inherently different quality, often reflective of their builder’s unique characteristics. One popular tower is constructed solely of black steel, designed in fastidious fashion to simulate a spider web. The delicate obsidian strands appear woven together in a way that exudes a feigned delicateness, as though if a single strong gust of wind pushed through that area of town, the entire building would be brushed away.

            In the center of town resides a building that is essentially an enormous upside-down pyramid. The main bulk spreads up into the sky, resting on a miniscule point that perches upon the ground. Its sides are sheathed in mirrors, producing a peculiar effect: It makes the onlooker appear infinitesimally tiny. As though the shear enormity of the building weren’t enough, this added effect gives the viewer an impression of helpless inferiority, and because of this, is rarely viewed for long. Plainly named ‘The Bennett Pyramid’, after the physicist who designed it, it was once the most spectacular of the skyscrapers, though this is always subject to change. Other buildings may have equally impossible designs. Often scientists will pour their heart, soul, and life savings into such structures for the sake of the recognition.

            The city’s unique patron system is what makes these prodigious creations possible. Wealthy landowners and businessmen often sponsor contests that challenge the citizen’s creativity. Typically the most inventive and unique designs are chosen, and out of these blueprints a new skyscraper is born. Sometimes, if a project is too big for the city to accommodate, old buildings and outdated towers will be demolished to make way for the newest pursuit. The winning designers are the city’s celebrities, though the fame is fickle and often short-lived. Just as quickly as a design may be praised, an even newer one could take only a day to outshine the glory of the former winner. Old (and sometimes even newer) towers are constantly obliterated to make way for the latest design, with the exception of a few buildings that are dire to running the city. This constant shifting generates an infinite stream of evolution. The city is chronically fluctuating, making way for the unique and unparalleled.

            Although each monument is markedly different, a few common aspects are prevalent. Most, if not all, of these structures are disconcertingly colossal in their attempt to outshine the others. The result is meant to inspire breathtaking awe, but more often than not it makes the viewer uncomfortable. It is for this reason that Captolaus experiences few tourists. The buildings, though meant to influence outside viewers, are primarily canvassed by the citizens themselves, as well as the designers. Every single skyscraper bears a plaque with the designer and sponsor’s names, the amount of money it took to build, the year it was built, and the original blueprints. Although each plaque is specific to the theme of the castle it adorns, the name of both the sponsor and the designer are always enormous and impossible to miss. The designer/sponsor system is like a game to Captolaus’s citizens. Being rich is crucial, but being innovative is even more so.

            If you are not a citizen of Captolaus, leaving it is somewhat of a relief. There is redeeming freedom in the act of extracting yourself from the midst of those daunting towers. The citizens seem friendly enough, but even their eyes act as mirrors, reflecting visitors in the slight pinpoints of their pupils. Every new skyscraper is an attempt to outshine all the rest, and in the end the only achieved effect is that of a hectic, crushing destitution. 

Reviews

[Jon Mahaffie]

Someone has read Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino! Or, if you haven't you need to if you're into world building. The first half of this piece reminded me of Chicago. Specifically the part about the daunting feeling of the buildings clustered together, but the pleasure at approaching each one individually. This is a great world building piece, nice pacing. I think you could add a third concrete example of a strange building, to accompany the bennett pyramid and black steel spiderweb building, and that would tie it all together. Lists of three, mang. Also, enormity doesn't mean physical size, it means "great evil," and if that's what you originally meant, I got more of a disorienting feel when reading about the buildings than en evil one. Cheers!

[Forest Green]

Your skill is evident in this piece. Very descriptive and clearly written. A rare find..

[John Fitzgerald]

The commitment to detail is outstanding. Beautiful imagery and wonderfully sober sentiments. I sense a love/hate relationship with city life.

[rabbit]

Thank you, that is very much the case :)

[Pól]

This is decent

[rabbit]

needs a bit of a touch up, hm?

[Pól]

I don't think so-grand the way it is

[rabbit]

It's too jumbly. Which I suppose could work, considering it's about a jumbled up city, but I'm not satisfied with it

[Ufi Auttorri ~ UfoAutho..]

I think if you clean this up a little bit it could be really good. Try not to repeat words within close proximity to each other unless there is no choice. It's distracting and hints of the need for a good thesaurus. Work a little more on tidying up the path you are trying to lead the reader down. Perhaps it was just me but I got lost a couple of times.

[rabbit]

I agree, it's very sloppy. I really need to go back through it and patch it up a bit. Which bits were confusing to you?

[Ufi Auttorri ~ UfoAuthor]

Ha! :) Well, let's see... my "quandary" is that I bought lunch and someone asked me if I wanted to take a walk. I said, "Sure!" We then proceeded to walk up and down these streets while my new-found-friend commented on what we were seeing. I had never been there before but I suspect they had and so had formed an opinion that they proceeded to share. While I liked the sharing, immensely, I could only be polite and nod my head for I did not understand. We had no common context for my understanding nor purpose for our walk other than companionship and simple exercise. Does that help? I love you dearly but please, give me a reason to live!

[rabbit]

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