“Hmm,” the mischievous man said as he lifted the brick to his face to inspect the quality. Like all other fired clay bricks, it was red and sturdy. Except this one was different. He had added a little something extra to its edge before baking it. The man spent a few more seconds examining the brick, perhaps to wonder about the small chip at the side, before placing it in the wagon. The day was sunny and bright. The men quickly laid layer after layer. When one of the men got to Chip, he stared at it for a second before giving a wide grin and heavily laying it in the next spot.

“Ouch, hey! I’m here! Look at me!”, Chip said as the man started to make his way down the line. Somehow, Chip was aware of those around him. He knew instinctively that this was where he needed to be. “Okay, just hold it together. I’ve got this.” The day droned on, and eventually turned to night. Chip snuggled into his little corner and let sleep overtake him.

“… selecting a site for construction, acquiring plans for the building, and contracting a company …”

Daylight again. Chip became aware.

“Are we done? Did we hold it together? Guys?” he said without response. These others were quite silent. Chip tried to move around but was unsuccessful. Thinking to himself, he thought of the perfect method to get someone’s attention. He gathered up his courage and spoke:

“What do you get if you cross a chicken with a cement mixer?” he bellowed out. After a few seconds, he excitedly yelled, “A brick layer!” With the continuing silence he became quite uncomfortable. Perhaps the others were sleeping? If he just slept a little more, maybe they would each wake up next time?

“…the flame would not have been perceived from the outside, and the building would in all probability have been consumed.”

The sounds of screaming brought Chip to his senses. He didn’t understand what was happening. Suddenly, he felt an intense heat and a suffocating smoke grip his edge. Within moments it was over. He tried to look towards the commotion but he could not make it out. He noticed that next to him, the most beautiful of bricks was showing a black mein of ash across her edge.

“Hey! You’re so beautiful! And we’re so close…” Chip sent, hoping for a reply. His luck can’t possibly be so amazing. In all the world he never would have imagined that a brick so beautiful would be there, next to him. The filling between them must have worn down over time.

“Do you think it was meant to be?” he said to Ash, before he fell back asleep.

“While the shell of the central portion of the building is original, the side wings, steeple and much of the interior are reconstructions.”

Chip awoke to a violent shake. He looked to his left and gasped in horror when he felt that Ash was gone.

“No! Why did you leave? Maybe I didn’t hold it together well enough,” he cried. Why couldn’t he have happiness? He was doing his job, right? He was supposed to hold it together. Why would they take Ash away from him? He just needed to focus and continue holding it all together. Just a little longer and she would return.

“How do I do a better job? I’m holding it together,” he asked the open air.

“Displays are common throughout the world and are the focal point of many cultural and religious celebrations.”

“The clock is so loud, and the flood waters insufferable. The sun is always so bright,” he thought to himself as he awoke again. For some reason, there were a dance of colors illuminating the night sky. They did that quite regularly these days, and they would often disturb his slumber.

“I wish they would all just be quiet again,” he thought. He had since stopped speaking long ago. It was quite obvious at this point that there would never be a response. Why continue to chase something the world has shown you incapable of having? Experience was his only companion. He could not risk losing that as well.

“… the building’s interior was restored … to preserve historical sites …”

“This would all be held together even if I didn’t exist,” he thought. It was another of those bright, warm and sunny days. He remembered one like this in the past, and he remembered feeling something then. What was it? He couldn’t remember. The times between waking were so long now. He felt regretful.

“I’m so tired,” he thought. He wondered about the life he had before he fell asleep one last time. **

“Miss Weatherbee! Look at this one! It has something written on it!” the teenage girl yelled as she pointed towards a brick in the wall.

Miss Weatherbee, a young woman wearing a summer dress walked up to the wall and exclaimed, “Which one Jesse?”

“The one with the chip, it says ‘Love Annie’! Who was Annie?” Jesse said.

“Oh I don’t know! Maybe a solider’s love? This building represents many things for many people. This brick here is extra special.”

Miss Weatherbee gathered the children and walked into one of the buildings. As they walked, she could be heard saying,

“Those same bricks were there when our very own Declaration of Independence was signed. The fact that they still stand demonstrates the strength that’s needed to create something lasting. They held together the dreams and hopes of millions of people throughout the years. Without them, where would we all be today?”