Natalie Ayukawa

When Zabat’s Comet threatened to destroy the planet, society ripped itself apart in violent, hedonistic glory. But instead of bringing extinction by fire, the comet unleashed a cloud of hazardous dust over the Pacific Northwest. Within it lurks a sinister alien being that both threatens annihilation and promises transcendence. While some unite to destroy the force field containing the dust, others put their lives on the line to keep it contained. Humanity faces a new set of challenges that put into question the very essence of what it means to be human.

Shuggie’s mother Agnes walks a wayward path: She is Shuggie’s guiding light but a burden for him and his siblings. She dreams of a house with its own front door while she flicks through the pages of the Freemans catalogue, ordering a little happiness on credit, anything to brighten up her grey life. Married to a philandering taxi-driver husband, Agnes keeps her pride by looking good - her beehive, make-up, and pearly-white false teeth offer a glamourous image of a Glaswegian Elizabeth Taylor.