Steve Challis

Fall Steve Challis

The Fall of Civilisation

In 2065, Trevor is a homeless, unemployed gardener attempting to feed his starving children, and competing with thousands of other starving people.

In the middle of winter, South Australia is hit by a severe Antarctic vortex, dropping the temperature another ten degrees. Trevor's daughter, Mary, will die that night unless she can get high energy food and shelter from the cold fury of the storm driven hail. Trevor has a day of wild swings of luck, both unbelievably good and disastrous. He is beaten up for the half loaf of moldy bread that could have saved Mary's life. He gets a job mowing a lawn but doesn't get paid. His three shivering children shelter under a tree as the storm builds up to a new demonic fury, with hail driven by hurricane force gusts. Trevor is driven to desperation.

In the second half of the 21st century, the world is in an ever-deepening depression. Governments are attempting to apply solutions that worked a hundred years before but are now making things worse. The world economy is dependent on continuous growth. The world's leaders refuse to accept that their solutions no longer work and have no backup plan. Ordinary people increasingly understand that there is no plan B. Our civilization will go straight to plan C; the Collapse of civilization as we know it.

The Earth's highly resilient life support system, strained well beyond its limits, is cascading into total planetary ecosystem collapse. With the human race facing likely extinction, Trevor is determined to save his family.