Melanie Goodchild

Like many teens, Kim, a non binary fifteen year old, is overwhelmed by digital noise, constantly called back to bouts of scrolling by the pings of their phone – until a claw rips through their bedroom and drags them off to a kaleidoscopic otherworld. There, a sardonic alien dog called Jeff sets Kim on a cryptic quest for freedom: to travel to five islands over the course of 24 hours. Guided by Aboriginal Elders and crossing surreal, symbolic realms – a sentient library, a battlefield of ideologies and an ocean of memories – Kim confronts their fears and addictions. From rune-wielding Viking chefs to fascist pirates and a cyborg shaman, each encounter unveils deeper truths about nature, time and spirit.