Free The Architect by Brendan Connell

gone through years of thought reform, mystical manipulation which made them always put the Society first.
    With glazed eyes and hungry bellies they listened to his words. Many were gladly willing to be devoured by the structure, to let it crunch their bones and chew off their heads. Many—but not all, for there were others, inspired by fear or some innate sense of self preservation, who were not quite so keen.
    A few whispered together, a few openly sneered—some wandered off into the darkness, cursing the mountain on which they stood.

XX.
     
    Even though the group seemed to be compelled by some sort of mass hypnotism, madness, it was seen that the intensity of the labour soon caused infractions. Though minor at first—a man leaning on his shovel, a woman sitting down for a quarter of an hour to rest—a few more serious incidents soon occurred.
    A young man from India complained rather too volubly about the living conditions saying that even on the streets of Calcutta one might do better—sleeping on the sidewalk with dogs and dining off nauseous waste. An Italian couple insisted on being fed better. An elderly gentleman from Morocco began to scream violently and declared that he would soon return home, even if he had to walk.
    “We cannot let this sort of behaviour go unchecked,” Nachtman said during the next board meeting. “Discipline is the key to the completion of the project. These workers are all we have. If they abandon us, the project is doomed.”
    “They will not abandon us,” Dr. Enheim stated.
    “No? Some of them are already beginning to murmur, a few to shout.”
    “But even if we lose a few people, I don’t see how—”
    “We cannot afford to lose anyone! If one goes, others will follow. The distance from a whisper to open rebellion can be covered in an instant and, as you well know, mankind is a gregarious animal and acts as a herd rather than as a group of individuals. Humans are like plagues of rats. They clew together, follow one upon the next like parcels of penguins. Furthermore,” the architect added with a pompous wave of his hand, “Körn himself, in his Vienna lectures, said that educational discipline was the key to the betterment of mankind.”
    “What do you propose?”
    “Well, there is obviously only one solution.”
    “Which is?”
    “Corporal punishment. Severe corporal punishment for those who don’t give themselves to us, from the ends of their toes to the follicles of their hair. Their very minds and individuality. Corporal punishment for those who don’t conform to the requirements of the Society.”
    Borromeo smiled uneasily. “Don’t you think that would be somewhat…brutal?”
    “Come man! Do you think the pyramids would have ever been built without the help of the whip? In grand projects, the workers need whatever stimulation they can get. They should be shown what dedication means. It is simply a matter of healthy respect for authority. And I am quite sure, if Dr. Körn were with us today, he would agree with my point of view. After all, He that spareth his rod hateth his son. ”
    “But from a strictly spiritual perspective…”
    “Aren’t you listening to me? Am I shouting at walls? It is the spirit that I am concerned with. We must be willing to chastise the flesh if we hope to cleanse the soul. Only by suffering can these poor bastards hope to find the light!”
    “I am afraid he is right,” Maria said quietly. “These people need us. They need our guidance. We cannot be cowards. We are not doing them any favours by treating them so delicately. A small amount of hard-living will only help them”
    Peter was dumbfounded.
    “But what exactly are you planning on doing?” he asked.
    “You will see,” Nachtman said, standing erect and thrusting his index finger in the air like a spear. “Leave the matter in my hands and all will be well.”
    “You are the architect,” Enheim pronounced gravely. “You are in charge of the project and of course