Bridge Crossing

In a ruined, fog-bound future San Francisco, Roddie burns with frustration at being kept from the front while soldier-guardians fight off Invaders from the north. Under the care of Molly, a bizarre nurse who veers between childlike chants and unsettling flirtation, he is driven to reckless acts, even tearing off her head before restoring her again. When a badly damaged soldier arrives, Roddie tries to repair it, only to trigger its reflexive combat programming and need Molly's intervention to subdue it. As the city's defenses weaken and more units are cannibalized for parts, Roddie struggles to do his duty amid the crumbling ruins marked by "Private Property Keep Out" signs. He is haunted by his own difference: unlike his friends, he feels cold, hunger, and sleep, and must conceal these needs to belong. After a humiliating mishap with fire and foam, he retreats to a secret manhole hideout from his youth, reflecting on the discipline Molly and the soldiers taught him. But when he descends into the underground darkness, he finds the chamber warm, as if something large has recently been there—proof that he is no longer alone. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.