They cancelled Christmas. He smashed himself into the undergrowth, all the better not to be detected. The twining threads of flesh that riveted out across the surrounding terrain, that bleeding flesh of the ordinary, that moment when they knew all was lost, that all their efforts to save the place were pointless, and he felt tired and riven with the pointless marshaling of forces, the dreary voices of the all-too interested, or all-too critical, as bored Watchers on the Watch complained about the massive waste of time it all was, and he felt driven into place.
There was a ship above.
All the air was distorting.
There were rivers running through everything, even the threads of their own lives; as if each and everyone was something more than themselves, a part of a greater whole.
The Sanctuary was coming to an end.
The world's most boring man, the utterly futile waste of space called Jeffrey who lived, or sank daily dank into his own bile in the front room, rarely emerging, schemed behind everybody's back, a putrid piece of work. Unintelligent. Uneducated. Uninteresting. With No Discernible Talent. And not even good looks or physical charm to make up for his otherwise total lack of accomplishment. "I've never had any drive," he admitted one night. And clearly had no intention of acquiring any. Old Alex wasn't ready for this level of bullshit. He didn't want to be caught amongst them. These toxic pieces of work brought everyone around them down to their own level; and for a few days he joined them, down amongst their weeping sores and festering hearts, down amongst their too ordinary dreams, their total lack of ambition or ability to see anything beyond their dreary little selves, the escapades of the suburbs.
He always felt unsafe when there were changes afoot and unknown personnel gathered in the wings.
For great changes were afoot. Let the holidays begin.
He would crawl across space to get you. And reignite the gods as we all chose to do.
The wind is blowing hot. Hotter than hot. He had been warned. He didn't care.
While Sydney, and Australia, crawled to a devastating close of a year in which the most shocking thing of all was the acquiescence of the people, who had queued up to abrogate their freedoms.
Once again masks proliferated across public transport, state governments and overpaid health bureaucrats grandstanded in front of news cameras and wished them well, wished them dead, those they served. Sowing panic and confusion into the population with a blizzard of constantly changing rules and regulations and unabashed fear mongering.
The most unbelievable thing happened that year: we were expected to believe that a government which clearly did not care about its own citizens, changed the society forever under the cover of Covid and purportedly to protect the elderly.
That's those people they housed in derelict government funded old age facilities and washed them out in appalling conditions, watched them fall off the conveyor belt of life in pain, humiliation and dereliction; because they truly did not care; this government which had been part of privatising old age facilities for the rampant profit of their mates.
That putrid year. Those putrid people. This truly putrid government.
Reap What You Sow.
THE BIGGER STORY:
THE HEADLINES:
Australia news live: NSW records 18 new Covid cases as premier announces New Year’s Eve restrictions for Sydney
How Josh Frydenberg is backing the boss class amid capital-on-capital skirmishes
Despite fire, plague and the fog that perpetually shrouds Lake Burley Griffin, Josh Frydenberg’s agenda has become clear in 2020.
Never one to miss the opportunity a crisis presents, the treasurer has used the coronavirus pandemic to ram through changes to the way the Australian economy is regulated that will significantly shift advantage away from ordinary people.
NSW Police have issued additional fines to nine people who breached Sydney northern beaches lockdown orders to attend a weekend wedding reception.
A total of 21 penalty infringement notices — a fine of $1,000 each — have been issued to people who went to Doltone House in Pyrmont on Sunday, in contravention of stay-at-home provisions.
NSW Police said those guests were from northern beaches, where residents are not permitted to travel outside the region unless they have an essential reason such as shopping, medical care or exercise.
Calls for Sydney lockdown as COVID-19 cases grow amid new Croydon cluster
There are fears the true number of COVID cases in Sydney right now is significantly higher, sparking calls for an immediate shutdown of the city.
Pressure is mounting for Gladys Berejiklian to send all of Sydney into lockdown after the state recorded a massive 18 cases over the last 24 hours.
This news comes amid fears of a new Croydon cluster in Sydney’s inner west. Wednesday’s figures reported six new coronavirus cases that were linked to three families in the area. An additional 34 close contacts have also been associated with the cluster, with a warning from the Premier that more cases will arise due to the “extended family’s movements”.
Coronavirus NSW: Gladys Berejiklian dodges questions about SCG Test
The NSW Premier has been peppered with questions about how the third cricket Test can go ahead at the SCG despite a spike in virus numbers.
‘Clumsy, unresponsive, arcane’: Defence shake-up long overdue. The nation’s geopolitical environment has become more dangerous.
Trump slams his party for defying wishes. President Trump criticised the leadership of his party as he all but conceded that he would lose a battle with Congress over his attempt to punish social media giants.
Please explain $2bn, bishops ask Pope. Catholic bishops are working on a direct request to the Pope to investigate and explain how $2.3bn was transferred from the Vatican City to Australia without their knowledge.