1,588 (7-10 minutes)
Genre(s): Satirical Science Fiction, Dystopian
Originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction in 1963

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X Marks the Pedwalk is a darkly humorous and sharply satirical look at a future where society is divided into two warring factions: the Motorists (Wheels) and the Pedestrians (Feet). In a world where driving and walking have become ideological extremes, a chance altercation between a reckless driver and an armed pedestrian sparks an all-out conflict. As chaos unfolds, government officials—whose own sanity is in question—scramble to restore balance with absurd compromises. Leiber’s sharp wit exposes the fragility of societal order and the ways in which rigid divisions lead to inevitable destruction.