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The Orbital Road' is taken from the collection 'An A-Z of Possible Worlds' from Roast Books
Not every road has its own fan club but the Great Orbital deserves one. Built for practical reasons, it is nevertheless an object of astonishing beauty; a coronet of high grade asphalt encircling the city. It has seven broad lanes in each direction, sliding like water through the gentle countryside of the river basin. The sweeping bridges and plunging underpasses, the glittering catseyes and the smooth, sound absorbent surfacing make it a pleasure to use. At night, the plentiful sodium lamps that loop above the carriageways, form a vortex of orange light and in low visibility, fog detectors flood the lanes with a lambent blue glow. There are twelve tubular service stations, positioned around the perimeter like numbers on a clock face, glass towers of calm and comfort with relaxation lounges, health centres and viewing galleries.

Fans of the road or 'Spinners', as they call themselves, are less concerned with the convenience and function of the Great Orbital, than with the pure bliss of driving on it. Their monthly magazine is full of tips for the best times to travel and the ongoing debate over which affords the most pleasure – clockwise or anti-clockwise circuits. Regular complaints appear on the letters page from ‘Orbital Widows', whose husbands prefer going for a spin to spending time with their families. Occasionally, a child grumbles that he or she has become an ‘Orbital Orphan' but such protests are rare. Most children enjoy taking a trip to a service station for a swim or a burger and many take part in the drawing and writing competitions inspired by the road.

The Orbital Calendar is published in panoramic format. Each month is illustrated by a photograph taken by a spinner, with a short eulogy in italics along the bottom. For instance, January last year shows a bright, frosty morning, the asphalt glimmering with dew, the lamps cooled to a pink flush. Below, the words say:

The lanes glide into the distance like promises. Concrete rainbows pass overhead and I ** being carried through the hills on a glossy black halo.

March's picture is of a heavy downpour in early spring. Lightning illuminates a distant cloud and a couple shares an umbrella on a footbridge. The caption reads: