Over the summer I was out cycling, and whilst I was out I saw a meadow filled with thousands and thousands of dandelions. I stopped to admire the scene and took a few photos, and while I was looking I thought to myself that if (when???) an apocalypse devastates this planet, dandelions would probably survive and thrive.
This thought got me thinking, and I wondered what a post-apocalyptic world where dandelions flourished would look like, and then I got to thinking about what the people in this world might be like, and how their lives might have changed from how we live.
The end result of this thought process was the idea for Above The Clouds, a dystopian, horror, sci-fi, psychological thriller story.
I wanted to tell a very human story set in a post-apocalyptic world about love, loss, survival, and the search for identity and happiness, and I am very pleased with the result.
Here is a synopsis of the story:
In a ruined , distant future of our world, filled with rain, gloom, and danger, Squirt and her sister Dara fight to survive as part of the underground clan, hunting for meat to and clinging to the edges of existence. When Squirt encounters a mysterious figure above ground, her life is upended. Taken to a gleaming tower above the clouds, she finds herself trapped in an idyllic prison, where everything seems perfect—but is danger hiding in plain sight? Does Charlotte, her enigmatic and gentle companion, hide secrets behind her perfect smile? Does Mrs. Wallis, the tower’s cold matriarch, watch Squirt with a predator’s patience?
Below, Dara hunts alone, her isolation gnawing at her mind. Haunted by her sister’s disappearance and whispers of betrayal within the clan, Dara must decide if she will be a victim or fight for her beliefs and survival.
As the sisters’ paths converge, truths are exposed: immortality comes at a terrible price, and the ones they’ve trusted most may be their greatest enemies. Above the Clouds is a haunting tale of the fight for survival and identity, asking the question: What does it truly mean to be human?
Above The Clouds is heavily inspired by Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick, and explores, to a certain extent, many similar themes, but in entirely different ways.
I am going to put a bit of spit and polish on the story, and will probably publish it in February 2025.
