Tim and Vasil arrive at an underground gallery on level -14, where a waste collection pipe runs towards the recycling plant on level -21. Since there is no one there, they decide to settle there. Soon, an individual who travels through the galleries through the vents, named Jespil, appears through a hatch and offers them a job. They have to relieve the pressure in the pipe using a stopcock in the gallery and give him the portion of waste that comes out. Of course, they can eat as much of it as they want. After some hesitation, they accept the deal.
Although Tim's dream is to climb to the upper levels, as close to the surface as possible, the abundance of food and the gifts that Jespil gives him end up trapping him in a routine that makes him happy. Vasil, on the other hand, tries to get away from there whenever he can and travel the upper levels. As he justifies to Tim, he dedicates himself to exploring the route by which they will be able to climb up one day. Tim dreams that he reaches the outside, where he hopes that no one is left after the nuclear war that occurred many years ago, and thus be able to start a new life there.
While Tim works, Vasil explores and Jèspil takes the fruit of Tim's work, a couple, Lara and Càspar, arrive at the gallery, looking for a place to settle. After a hostile reception, Tim ends up accepting the presence of the two strangers, enchanted by the stories about the higher levels that Lara tells him. Above all, by the possibility of accessing immortality thanks to some products available to those who live up there. Tim will continue to ask Jèspil for things and more things in exchange for his work, but when some remodeling work begins on the gallery, Jèspil asks them to move further down, Tim refuses and the situation ends up rushing towards tragedy, at least for some.
© Francesc Garcia Donet – 2015 (Nº RPI: V-1007-15)
If you are interested in reading the complete work (in Catalan or Spanish), write to me at: francesc@gargud.com
