It was quiet. So very, very quiet. Such tranquillity and peace has become rare in today’s world. Only during the hours close to dawn does the world seem to cease it's endless pursuit of chaotic activity. I value this rare time. It lets me clear my mind and I do my best work with a clear mind.

Yes, I was getting ready to work. No, not begging, although that is my job. No. In the tranquil hours of near-morning, I wash my hands and start work on my masterpiece.

I opened the closet and tripped a wire to open a hidden compartment inside. It’s not like I could’ve just let my precious work lying out in the open, now could I?

Hauling the pattern out is a tiresome task. Rolled up, its width is thick enough to reach my waist, and I am not short. Lengthwise, it’s long enough to cover twice the size of the basement I’m working in.

I unroll part of it, spreading its length on the basement floor – already cleaned, of course. Then, I bring out my material and arrange them in piles on the floor in one straight line to my left: hair, followed by skin, then muscle, then organs, then the odds and ends. The bones are arranged on my right. This makes for easy access.

Rolling up my sleeves, I begin by knotting three strands of hair – about half a finger thick, each – to the material in the centre of the design. This varies and I change my style of knotting accordingly. I’ve actually used up to two hundred and eighty nine different types of knots in my design to date.

Then, I start weaving the skin and muscle into the design. The skin requires very specific techniques, since I leave the basic structure of it as it is and only the carefully cut edges are used for the weave. The muscle, however, isn’t much different than the hair. They’re both thin fibres and are quite easy to weave.
The organs and the odds and ends are added in as accents wherever I feel the need to.

I leave simple loops for the bones. I’ve had enough practice with the loops to know exactly which type and size of loop to make for which bone. It’s quite easy, really, once you memorise the basic structures. Only the lengths seem to change much and that is no problem for a master like me.

When all the basic raw materials are used, I start to loop in the bones. Each goes in the same way: one side inserted from the top while the other inserted from below. This creates a certain balance and doesn’t let the bone slip through or fall out. Sometimes, I use a pair of small tweezers to work out some small kinks or imperfections I see while inserting the bones. I am very thorough with my work.

Every time I finish with a good day’s work, I stand back and look at the pattern one more time, taking in the whole thing. How the beauty of the human body is incorporated into my design never ceases to amaze me. I stand there, the sun shining outside, and soak in my work, my passion, my life.