The Other Half

The Other Half

It begins as "an incident." A few cities. A few unexplained cases. Then the truth becomes impossible to deny...

For Daniel, an ordinary man living an ordinary life, the catastrophe unfolds through television screens, anxious phone calls, empty streets, and the slow realization that nothing-from relationships to governments to civilization itself-can survive unchanged.

As food systems fail, social order fractures, men begin forming uneasy alliances, Daniel records what he sees in a private journal called Half-XY.

Blending dystopian fiction, social commentary, black humor, and psychological realism, The Other Half asks uncomfortable questions: What holds society together? What happens when certainty vanishes? And what remains when "the other half" is gone?

Fans of speculative dystopian fiction and thought-provoking social satire will find The Other Half a bold, unsettling read that explores masculinity, dependence, and the fragile systems we take for granted.

Excerpt

We had a breakfast of dry cereal-Frank had no milk, eggs, tea, or coffee.

As we sat around the kitchen table, finishing our cereal, I said, "What's happening feels like the 1975 Icelandic Women's Strike. I think it was called Women's Day Off."

"I recall hearing about that," said Jerry. "It only lasted twenty-four hours, but it became one of the most influential gender-equality protests in history."

"Why did they do it?" asked Ishmael, as he crunched the last of his cereal.

"Women were frustrated by lower pay than men for similar work, limited career opportunities, almost no political representation, and the fact that housework, childcare, and domestic labor were unpaid," I said.

"Kind of like it was in America, before the incident," said Frank.

"What did they do, or didn't they do, since they were on strike?" asked Roy.

"As I recall," said Jerry, "they refused to go to work, cook meals, do housework, or care for children."

"The country was thrown into chaos," I said.

"Kind of like today," said Hassan. "Women stop working and society stops functioning."

"It would be funny if it wasn't true," said Roy.

"Amen to that," said Frank.

"Point made about their necessity, women came back and things changed dramatically, for the better," I said.

"There is no sign of them coming back here," said Jerry. "And since that is the case..."

He stood and suggested that we head out to see what we could scrounge. "Maybe we can find a few supplies, and good urban hiking shoes, since I suspect we are going to be doing a lot of walking."

"And Merino socks. I've always wanted a pair of Merino socks," Frank said.

"Solid idea," said Jerry. "After that, we'll head to my place. I still have a few steaks in the freezer."

"And we have a chef who knows how to cook them!" said Hassan, and he smiled at Roy.

"Do you have a barbecue?" Roy asked.

"Coal-fired. Not propane," said Jerry.

"The best," said Roy. "Let's see if we can find some onions, garlic, and tomatoes, and we'll have a feast."

"So unlike Iceland, we can get by without women," Frank said, with a chuckle.

"We have no choice but to get by without them," said Jerry. "We have no choice."