The Denial: A satirical novel of climate change by Clark Ross

Author:Clark, Ross [Clark, Ross]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lume Books
Published: 2020-09-14T00:00:00+00:00

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The morning after Geavis’ arrest, the newspapers seemed to know a remarkable amount about him. “Climate Arrest” read the headline on the Daily Facsimile . “Alleged Oil Executive Picked Up at Dover ‘Ran PR Operation at Albion Oil’. Faces 10 Years for Role in Guy Fawkes Night Storm”. The Daily Torrent , as ever, was more assertive and carried a photograph of Geavis at a company event several years earlier. “Justice for the Deptford Dead? Fleeing Oilman Snatched at the Border on Way to South America.” Inside were five pages of photographs and text, put together from old press releases in which Geavis had featured, and several interviews with his neighbours. “Creepy Geavis kept himself to himself,” was one sub headline. “Loved to tend his roses as world descended into climate chaos. Neighbours unaware of dark secret until he blew his cover with provocative TV interview in which he allegedly questioned climate change.”

On Mob, the chatter was even less restrained, stripped of the ‘allegedly’ carefully placed by the professional media in their own headlines. “You took the oil money, sicko,” wrote one. “Now you pay the price”. Another read: “Earth may be on fire, but it still ain’t as hot as where you’re going, matey.”

At the climate camp in Trafalgar Square, a huge cheer went up when the news came through. “This is for Deptford,” an emotional Evie Wilks told the crowd. “How many years has it taken to get the culprits responsible for the climate cataclysm to face up to what they’ve done to the planet? Well, today, one man’s luck has run out. Let’s not waste it!”

Geavis knew nothing of what was being said about him. He had no access to news. An initial flush of bewilderment at his arrest soon gave way to anger and then to resignation. He remembered how, during idle moments in recent weeks, he had often imagined himself being arrested. After a day in custody, he began to feel an odd sense of relief. He now realised that, for the past few days, he had felt as if he was on the run. But now there was no reason to look behind him, no need to worry about the details of their interrupted journey; all was now superfluous. He slept more soundly than he had done for weeks – in spite of a hard bed.

He had to be woken for the first of what seemed interminable interviews. After a night in a cell in Dover he was handed over to the recently established climate crimes unit at Scotland Yard. It was known to have attracted some of the brightest and most ambitious police officers, who had correctly worked out that climate crimes were attracting special notoriety, and that the officers charged with investigating them would be in the limelight.

The police were especially interested in the last three years of Geavis’ career at Albion Oil, when he worked in the company’s PR department, specifically charged with organising coverage for climate-related initiatives.

“Albion Oil thought it

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