Apocalypsopolis

"But why, then, does the city exist? What line separates the inside from the outside, the rumble of wheels from the howl of wolves?"

- Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities


Creative Commons License
Apocalypsopolis is a novel about the end of the world as we know it. I can't remember, but I think I mostly wrote it in 2004. There are plenty of stories set after an apocalypse, and plenty where a catastrophe is averted and life goes back to "normal." My goal was to grind through the changes in detail. Then I discovered why no one has done it -- it's too hard! The closest I've seen is John Brunner's novel The Sheep Look Up.

Also, the real apocalypse is going too fast for me to keep up. But I disagree with readers who think I left the story up in the air. I left it at a good ending! Book One is complete, and someday I might write Book Two.

Book One

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14


Spoilers
Scroll down for chapter listings with short summaries. These are intended for people who have already read it (or written it!) and want to go back and check something.


















































Book One

Chapter 1 20k. Carl hears of the asteroid and he and Jenny climb the tower. Mariana loots the corporate natural food store, meets Freejohn. Sirach rides around downtown.

Chapter 2 14k. Carl watches the tsunami, warns people, impresses Jenny. Sirach saves the baby, meets the wave, takes the baby home.

Chapter 3 9k. Sirach finds baby in back yard. Mariana wins bet with Freejohn, buys bicycle. Carl-Jenny love scene.

Chapter 4 12k. The Control Manifesto. Arch meets with conspiracy group while agents search his office.

Chapter 5 12k. Coyote walks Sideways Lands. Sirach gets to know baby. Arch taken on secret mission.

Chapter 6 20k. Arch has NDE, goes to secret clinic. Carl and Jenny evicted. Arch escapes. Sirach takes in all, much talking.

Chapter 7 17k. Mariana rides around, summary of occupation and plague, she meets Sirach. Everyone gets plague, Sirach visits Mariana.

Chapter 8 18k. Jenkins does experiment, works at quarantine camp, Troll introduced, escapes with Jenkins and Freejohn.

Chapter 9 13k. Sirach dreams of future and meeting, talks with Mariana, others show up at apartment.

Chapter 10 23k. Sirach rides around, goes to meeting, goes on journey.

Chapter 11 17k. Protesters watch rocket. With Carl, Jenny leaves, Arch summons monsters. Mariana talks to Troll, TV event.

Chapter 12 16k. Janet records meeting. Jake chases Si. Si in Vegas prepares to spread plague, calls Jenkins, arrested. Janet discovers truth. Agents investigate cash.

Chapter 13 18k. Mariana enters trance. Troll rides bus, sees cordon. Carl chases truck. Lester drives truck, meets obstacles. Major meets Troll, finds bomb. Hired guns obey. Mariana watches TV, calls mom.

Chapter 14 21k. Sirach tortured, travels to the upper world. Interrogators react.