The Chasm

"The Chasm" by Bryce Walton is a science fiction story about a broken future where grown-ups fight to live against a gang of kids. Sal Lemmon, one of the last adults alive, runs through a ruined city, trying to stay away from the Children. The story shows what it's like to be alone and what people will do to stay alive after everything falls apart. Sal and Doctor Cartley talk about how bad things are. Cartley thinks they should try to get along with the Children, but others just want to survive, no matter what. Near the end, Sal and Cartley find a little girl who thinks Sal is her grandpa, which gives them hope that maybe the old and young can understand each other and live together peacefully. The novella mainly highlights survival but shows that being human can help people come together and fix things.