Blown Bridge Valley

Vince got an evening call from fellow engineer Brad in America. The climate change crisis had turned Calgary into a crime razed city policed by drones. Brad said the highways close that night so get out now. Vince decided leaving their Calgary home for Brad’s ideal BC valley community best for his teenage daughter’s future. But first they had to make it through the swarm gang infested countryside.As an ex-oilfield engineer now environmental advocate, single parent Vince had a history of struggling with the impact of climate change especially on his high school daughter’s future. Now highway connections were closing at unknown select points to form a new political border shutting Alberta out of the Pacific North West. They had one last chance to cross that night. Vince had first heard his friend Brad’s talk on a worst case scenario survival plan when they worked together in Niger on a HICCC geoengineering contract. The High Impact Climate Change Countries had attempted a technical climate fix at the time. But with the West not approving, NATO ended that possibility with bombs while oil and coal business continued as usual. Brad had talked not only of survival, but an academic attempt at designing an improved cultural model for the future. The climate change transition was seen as a societal opportunity. Climate change geography had selected a mountain valley refuge straddling the BC American border. Vince had been preparing for the trip in practice and in the back of his mind, but was never sure if or when to go. The valley was far from Calgary with drone and human police with questionable interests and lawless gangs swarm ravaging the country highways. That night had become his last chance to pioneer a brighter future for his daughter but only if they could succeed in traversing a planned and practiced escape route.