Chapter 27
At first, when the V-City streets were fully populated with confident, mobile Vitizens (as they liked to call themselves in the early days) the stairs were in constant use (as were the central concourses). But as the years ground on several unplanned, unsought factors came into play: the Upsiders locked themselves away and became the Elites; the birth-rate dropped and the E-Spiders began their random cull. Confidence in society wilted and largely died. Commerce between the V-Cities ceased first, followed by that between towns. And as this happened the towns themselves - previously spread over a generous three or even four levels - became flat and insular, staying resolutely on one floor, as if even thinking in 3D was too aspirational.
And the stairs became - like the jungle -
