SPLICED LIFE /
ISSUE 05
BOOK CHAPTER EXCERPT / IDEA WAR
South African science fiction writing is on the rise, and Abi Godsell's latest offering, Idea War,
was just the right kind of awesome to reel us in. We thought we'd give you a small taste of a
chapter that any South African who has been to Joburg will instantly recognise.
Abi Godsell is a South African science fiction and fantasy writer.
IDEA WAR
Volume 1
by Abi Godsell
Chapter 4: Taal
Carr street, Newtown, Johannesburg
269 days post declaration of global oil crisis
237 days post CCA occupation
16:21
This way, terrifying forklift person. That’s right, chase the
unarmed teenager.
Up the stairs, up the stairs, up the stairs. Come on, it’s great
for your glutes.
***
***
“Dear South African Public”
The words skittered across the screen, chasing each other in a
stream of pixels. The next line jumped and flickered, almost
unreadable. The Government blimps needed servicing.
There was a nervous crush of people on the pavement, avoiding
the puddles and the eyes of beggars. The air thrummed with
conversation. Someone tripped over the local street artist,
kneeling on the pavement, and swore. A group of young men
in suits ran after a fat rooster. (Town Chicken was the in-thing
with all the trendy restaurants just now.)
A girl waited for a bus, clutching a brown paper bag and
trying to hide behind her scarf. Someone was haggling over
the price of tomatoes. The old CBD was beginning to live again.
A door to one of the shops swung shut with a bang and everyone
stopped for a moment. It was a cautious, hesitant revival.
Surresh supposed that that was understandable. It was
too soon for people to feel safe here again. In a few hours the
city centre would be dead, save for the prostitutes and the
night-watchmen and the occasional adventurous Taxi-Lord.
“Please do not alarm yourselves”
Below, the populace – decidedly un-alarmed – continued
their homeward migration out of the city proper, trading
the grimy skyscrapers and leafless northern suburbs for the
quiet civilization of the east.
Surresh watched them, as he breathed smoke rings out of
the window of the Jeep, parked under the M1 highway.
***
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