Rats in the Pipes

Nov. 2020 First place in the Cosmic Rose Awards Sci-FI genre. March 2019 2nd place in the GQ awards LGBTQ genre . Currently ranking #213 in Sci-fi out of over 81k stories.
The earth has suffered catastrophic climate change. Ben, a dreamer with a past and a price on his head, hides in the shadows and trusts no-one until he meets Per, another man who is also a misfit. Their relationship grows as their lives become ever more precarious, until together with an orphaned small boy, they risk everything and set off on a perilous journey to find a place to call home

The violence of the climate change far exceeded even the most pessimistic 21st century scenarios The idealists who built the biosphere Eden city of Esperance to protect and shelter humanity were betrayed by the super-rich Tesh Viks to whom they turned for financial help. The Tesh Viks took the view that the city and its inhabitants were to be theirs to rule absolutely, dedicated to preserving a life of luxury and comfort for the few. Under their despotic rule Esperance is crumbling. Mired in corruption and incompetence the city is beginning to fall apart. Every free citizen lives with the fear of slipping down and over the line into debt bondage and slavery. Apathy, exhaustion and fear keep people obedient. Life is regulated by the City Code that governs all aspect of dress and behaviour. Fines and punishments for non-conformity are increasingly severe but people are trapped because everyone knows life outside the City is impossible...