Into the Gloaming

Persephone can't understand why everyone expects her to be upset at the sudden and mysterious death of her mother, she had always been brought up accepting death as a natural fact of life. With the threat of Child Protection Services looming, Persephone's father finally tells her what he and her mother had been up to in their little business in the industrial district. He had designed an automated room to euthanise people when they felt they had lived as much as needed, in an attempt to start combating overpopulation at a local level, hoping that someday the idea would not be taboo and he could operate his business openly. When Persephone's father has a breakdown and abandons her the truth comes out for the world to see, and the next few days are a whirlwind for Persephone, who spends a night in hospital, moves in with a grandmother and aunt she never knew she had, is interviewed by police and is finally taken to her father's trial to give evidence, all the while contemplating the moral issues brought up by what her father has done, and whether anyone is truly evil, deciding that if her father was trying to do what he thought was right, he shouldn't be punished. At the trial it is revealed that the automated room her father had been using to kill people was triggered by a signal sent from his home every time Persephone turned the television on, realising that she was responsible for hundreds of deaths Persephone breaks down. The next few weeks see Persephone building a new life for herself with her grandmother and aunt, having grown up considerably since her mother's death, still conflicted over what her father had done, and wondering what she should do next.

Into the Gloaming has previously been long listed for the QWC/Allen and Unwin Manuscript Development Award, and the QWC/Hachette Manuscript Development Award.