- 12 hours ago
Apocalypse Survival Guide – Hd Watch Till The End
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00:01I could never forget the pain when I died of starvation during my previous life.
00:05The temperature was negative 70 degrees Celsius.
00:07My family huddled together.
00:09My uncle and his family took the last bit of rations.
00:12My mom was an actuary and dealt with numbers her whole life.
00:15In order to spare me a warm drink, she froze to death in a negative 50 degrees Celsius warehouse.
00:19Hazel, wake up. Look at this set of data.
00:21A cold voice brought me back to my senses.
00:23I quickly raised my head and found myself behind the counter.
00:26The AC was blowing out a cool breeze.
00:28The sunlight poured through the windows.
00:31My mom, Martha Taylor, was wearing a white shirt.
00:34She frowned as she looked at an Excel table.
00:36It was 15 June, 2025.
00:38There were only 45 days before the ice ages.
00:41Mom, my voice was hoarse.
00:43Tears welled up in my eyes.
00:44Don't cry, honey. Listen to me.
00:45My mom kept her head down as her fingers tapped on the keyboard.
00:49Ever since last week, there's been a weird trend in global commodity trading.
00:52Shipments of food, fuel, and antibiotics have dropped by 85%.
00:56Yet prices are being stabilized through false transactions.
00:59That just doesn't make sense.
01:00Unless someone's cutting off global supply chains, social order will collapse due to the lack of supplies in the next
01:06two months.
01:07Mom, what if I told you the temperature will reach 50 degrees Celsius in 45 days, then drop rapidly to
01:11negative 70 degrees Celsius?
01:12Would you believe me?
01:13She stopped typing and turned to me.
01:15She didn't think I was crazy like the others.
01:17She pushed up her glasses and asked calmly,
01:19How long will the cold last?
01:20I don't know.
01:21I died after three months and the temperature continued to drop.
01:24I see.
01:24My mom closed her laptop.
01:25A ruthless look appeared in her eyes.
01:27Everything makes sense now.
01:28If it's going to get cold, then our store will definitely be a target.
01:31The ground floor isn't safe.
01:32We must move.
01:33Hazel, according to your memories, we need a sealed, high elevation, fortress level shelter.
01:39We need to list every asset we own.
01:41I quickly got a pen and some paper, besides Taylor Mart, which we ran for 10 years.
01:45We also have an old downtown apartment, and there's my mom's investment products.
01:49The stocks we have are worth about $100K.
01:51The old apartment is worth about $200K.
01:53Investments and savings total about $400K.
01:55Plus the credit cards and personal loans will have around $800K in cash.
01:58That's not enough.
01:59When order collapses, this is nowhere near enough.
02:02We need to liquidate all our assets.
02:04How, mom?
02:04Loans and mortgages.
02:05Go apply for every business loan we can before the banks notice there's a supply chain failure.
02:11We need to turn the money we have into supplies.
02:13My mom stood up and looked at the shelves in the store.
02:16From now on, the store is closed for inventory.
02:18We won't sell a thing.
02:20We need to move everything into our fortress.
02:22We got straight to work.
02:24My mom went to banks to gather loans, while I went to look for a fortress.
02:28I chose the best neighborhood in the city, the 32nd floor of Star Bay.
02:31It's the top floor, so there's only one apartment with a massive loft and a private rooftop deck.
02:35Most importantly, the developer installed a bulletproof door normally used in banks.
02:40The walls were 10 centimeters thicker than normal walls.
02:42My mom signed a three-year lease at a high price and gave the landlord a sum of money so
02:47that we could reinforce the walls.
02:49This will be our fortress.
02:51My mom stood on the balcony and looked at the city with a fixed stack of contracts in her hand.
02:55Hazel, we just received $500,000 in loans, plus our savings.
02:59That's $800,000.
03:00We must turn all the money into supplies within 15 days.
03:03The next couple of days were a race for survival.
03:06I drove our van to its limits.
03:08I didn't go to the big markets.
03:10Only fools would do that.
03:11My mom used her connections as an actuary to contact the major food factories and medical wholesalers.
03:16The first delivery was 3,000 boxes of pot noodles and 500 sacks of rice, each weighing 25 kilograms.
03:22When all these things arrived in the huge living room, the sight gave me goosebumps.
03:26The sacks of rice were piled up, leaving only a small gap to walk through.
03:29Only carbohydrates aren't enough.
03:31My mom held a notebook looking like a strict general.
03:34We need fat and protein.
03:35Go order 500 cases of luncheon meat, 1,000 cans of meat sauce, plus dehydrated vegetables.
03:40We shouldn't rely on fresh greens.
03:41Once the temperature drops, the dehydrated vegetables will be golden.
03:44My mom was even stricter about the medicine.
03:47She didn't just buy any random medicine.
03:48She used her connections to buy ibuprofen, antibiotics, and huge amounts of iodophor.
03:54Under extreme temperatures, even a small cold could be lethal.
03:57We also cleared out all our store's stock overnight.
04:00We didn't use the lift because we didn't want to raise any suspicions.
04:03I hired a dozen people who didn't know each other and said we were moving our boss's stuff
04:07and hauled everything up 32 floors in shifts.
04:09Every single room in the apartment, even the bathtub, was filled with goods.
04:16Seeing the large apartment filled with goods, I had an unusual feeling of security.
04:22These weren't just goods.
04:23These were our bargain jokes in the upcoming apocalypse.
04:26Just when we were moving the last 50 gallons of water, an uninvited guest showed up at the
04:29store entrance.
04:30It was my ex-husband, Andy Burke.
04:32He was the guy who sold me for half a loaf of bread during my previous life.
04:35Andy was wearing a suit and was leaning against the car he bought with a car loan.
04:39He looked at the store disdainfully.
04:41Why did you close the store, Hazel?
04:42My mom was planning to come to buy some whiskey tomorrow.
04:45Go get some out of your stock.
04:46I looked at his arrogant face and nearly crushed the tape cutter in my hand.
04:50Memories of my previous life flashed in my mind.
04:52My mom went down on her knees in the snow to beg him to save me some water, but he
04:55just
04:56kicked her aside.
04:56We've been divorced for six months, Sandy.
04:58I looked at him with cold eyes.
04:59Nothing in this store has anything to do with you.
05:02Hey, how could you say that?
05:03Are we not a family just because we're divorced?
05:05I'm only here because my mom speaks highly of you.
05:07By the way, why are the shelves empty?
05:08Are you trying to move your assets and dodge taxes?
05:10I'm warning you, my uncle works at the Business Bureau.
05:12Andy was just a leech.
05:14He didn't care about the unusual weather.
05:16He only cared about whether he could leech off others.
05:19My mom walked out of the store with a list of unpaid bills in her hand.
05:22Andy, you're here just in time.
05:24You borrowed $50,000 from Hazel when you divorced her, plus all the things your mom took from
05:28us over the past six months.
05:29It totals to $55,000.
05:31Sign here.
05:32If you don't pay us back, I'll take this to court and have your BMW confiscated.
05:36My mom's voice wasn't loud, but it was very authoritative.
05:40Andy was stunned.
05:41Mrs. Taylor, you must be joking, right?
05:43The money.
05:43Who's joking?
05:44Call the police, Hazel.
05:46Tell them that there's a thief.
05:48My mom picked up her phone indifferently.
05:50Andy started to feel afraid under my mom's cold gaze.
05:53He spat on the ground and cursed.
05:54You two are so unbelievable.
05:56You can keep all your crap.
05:58My mom was right.
05:59You're just a jinx.
06:00This store will definitely close down soon.
06:02I watched as he drove away.
06:03My mom breathed a sigh of relief.
06:04It's better to sever ties with someone like him.
06:06Now, we need to deal with our fortress.
06:08My mom found someone who designed bank vaults to add insulating layers to all the walls,
06:13making them 20 centimeters thick.
06:15The windows were switched to bulletproof glass.
06:18The most important thing was the heating system.
06:20Star Bay had underfloor heating, but under extreme weather, the power and gas supplies
06:22will definitely be cut off.
06:24My mom installed a small diesel generator in the loft and three 1,000 liter tanks.
06:29To not raise suspicion, the tanks were disguised as water tanks.
06:32They were slowly moved upstairs on pickup trucks.
06:35Remember, Hazel, in the apocalypse, heat means survival.
06:38My mom pointed to a corner in the living room.
06:40There were 500 sets of body warmers and countless thick duvets.
06:45By then, there were only one day's left before the apocalypse.
06:48The temperature outside was around 40 degrees Celsius.
06:50People were complaining about their electricity bills.
06:52What they didn't know was that this heat was the last bit of warmth they would experience.
06:5625 July, 2025.
06:57The temperature reached 48 degrees Celsius.
06:59The asphalt streets were starting to melt.
07:01People outside looked dehydrated.
07:03Everyone was storming the markets for ice and bottled water.
07:06A bottle that used to cost 30 cents came to $1.40 on the black market.
07:10But mom, grandma, and I were holed up in our fortress at Star Bay.
07:14The A.C. hummed quietly, holding the room at a comfy 24 degrees Celsius.
07:18Grandma bustled around the big kitchen, tossing dried mushrooms from our stash and canned luncheon
07:22meat into a sizzling stir-fry.
07:23It smelled amazing.
07:24Eat up, Hazel.
07:25Well, it'd be a shame to let all this food go to waste.
07:28Grandma placed food in my bowl joyfully.
07:30She still didn't know about the apocalypse.
07:31She just thought that my mom and I made a fortune.
07:33Mom sat at the table, sipping a glass of Coke, while scrolling through the residence
07:37group chat.
07:37The Star Bay group chat was blowing up.
07:39Unit 302 resident, at management.
07:41What's going on?
07:42The elevator's out again.
07:43The ice I just bought melted before I even got home.
07:46Property manager.
07:47We're sorry.
07:47The usage is insane.
07:48Two transformers blue.
07:49We're on it.
07:50Unit 2501 resident.
07:52It's so hot.
07:52My kids already got heat stroke.
07:54I heard the residents on the top floor have generators.
07:56Can I borrow one?
07:56I can pay you.
07:57My mom sneered at her phone and just left the group chat.
08:01Borrow?
08:01I might never get the generator back.
08:03My mom said calmly.
08:04Right now, it's just the heat wave, and no one's stepped over the line.
08:07When the temperature drops, people will show their true colors.
08:11At that moment, the doorbell rang.
08:12The surveillance showed a woman in a silk nightgown standing outside.
08:15She lived on the 28th floor and claimed she was a KOL.
08:18She was always sending photos of her designer bags in the group chat.
08:21Anybody home?
08:22I know you've got water.
08:23She forced a smile at the camera.
08:25I don't have any water left.
08:26Can you spare me some?
08:28I can give you $100 for the water.
08:30I stood behind three layers of steel doors.
08:32My voice was cold.
08:33We don't have any.
08:34Get lost.
08:35What the hell's wrong with you?
08:36We're all neighbors here.
08:37Can't you help us out?
08:38I saw you moving all bottled water upstairs.
08:41Can't you spare me some?
08:42Do you know how many followers I have?
08:44One video and they'll overwhelm you.
08:46I pressed the mute button.
08:48My mom walked over and patted my head.
08:49You did the right thing.
08:51Remember, Hazel, the first rule of an actuary.
08:53When resources are limited, the core unit survives first.
08:57Everyone else is just expendable data.
08:59That night, we lost all signals.
09:02The city went dark.
09:03The only faint light was from our house.
09:06The diesel generator was idling.
09:08My mom pulled out a notebook.
09:10Its pages crammed with notes.
09:12Diesel stock.
09:133,000 L's.
09:14Estimated to last for 18 months.
09:16Fresh water.
09:165 tons.
09:17With recycler on, it's estimated to last for 24 months.
09:20Food.
09:20At 2,000 calories a day.
09:21It's estimated to last for 48 months.
09:23Let's get some rest, Hazel.
09:25My mom closed the notebook.
09:26The world's going to be different tomorrow.
09:28The cold woke me up.
09:30Even with the heating and thick duvet, I could still feel the cold.
09:34I jumped out of bed and ran to the balcony.
09:36Through layers of insulation and bulletproof glass, I saw something I would never forget.
09:40The city that was hot and muggy last night was now buried under a thick layer of frost.
09:45The sky wasn't dark blue, but a weird shade of dark gray.
09:48The thermometer outside had already frozen and shattered.
09:51But my mom installed a digital one indoors.
09:54Outdoor.
09:54Negative 72.5 degrees Celsius.
09:56Inside.
09:5722 degrees Celsius.
09:58The once busy street below had vanished.
10:01Every car was frozen in the middle of the road, like rows of metal coffins.
10:05There were figures by the side of the road.
10:06They were people who tried to escape the heat outdoors.
10:08They didn't even have time to scream before they were frozen on the streets.
10:12Oh my god.
10:13Grandma stood behind me, staring out the window.
10:15The glass in her hand slipped and shattered on the floor.
10:17It's alright, Grandma.
10:18I said as I held her.
10:18We've got food and heating.
10:20My mom walked over with some hot tea.
10:23The first cold wave is the worst.
10:25The power, water, and gas systems all failed at 2 a.m.
10:29Right now, the whole city's a giant freezer.
10:32That was when a dull thud sounded at our door.
10:35Bang! Bang! Bang!
10:37Someone was trying to break in.
10:39The surveillance showed that the corridor was packed.
10:41The once elegant residents were now wearing curtains and carpets.
10:45Some even ripped apart their leather sofa.
10:46Their faces were pale and their eyes wild.
10:49Open up! Open up!
10:51We know you have a generator.
10:52You can't just stand by and do nothing.
10:54We're freezing out here.
10:55Let us inside.
10:56My mom walked over and pressed a button.
10:59It was the intercom that we had installed.
11:02Guys, this is a bank-level security door.
11:05All gaps are sealed using aerogel.
11:06If you keep this up, you'll all die of heat loss instead of opening the door.
11:11It's negative 70 out there right now.
11:13No. I'd suggest you all go home and put more clothes on.
11:16Maybe then you can survive a little longer.
11:19My mom's voice was indifferent, like a machine.
11:22You bitch! You've got so many resources.
11:24What's wrong with sharing some?
11:26Andy's voice sounded from the crowd.
11:28He's here as well?
11:29Andy, if you're still yelling, then it's not that cold.
11:32Have you ever thought this would happen when you took my water in my previous life?
11:35What the hell are you talking about?
11:36Open the door! I'm your husband!
11:37My mom turned off the intercom.
11:39She turned to the kitchen and asked Grandma,
11:41Mom, what do you want for lunch?
11:43That crate of Kobe beef is brand new.
11:45Let's make some steak and add more butter for extra calories.
11:48Outside, the wind roared like a chorus of wailing ghosts.
11:52Inside, steaks sizzled in the pan,
11:54and the smell of butter filled the room.
11:57It was the scent of life.
11:58Watching Mom calmly flip the steaks,
12:00I suddenly understood something.
12:02The apocalypse wasn't about saving the world.
12:04It was about being able to have warm food in this cold weather
12:07and keeping my family safe.
12:08As long as this door remained closed,
12:10we would be the last survivors on this frozen planet.
12:12The blows on the bulletproof door were heavy and chaotic.
12:15Through the camera, I saw Andy panting
12:17as he swung a huge fire axe with both hands
12:21as he tried to bust open the door.
12:22Hazel, open up!
12:23I own half the house as well!
12:25But he ignored a basic law of physics.
12:26At negative 70 degrees Celsius,
12:29regular carbon steel would become brittle.
12:30On his 40th swing at the door,
12:33The axe shattered.
12:35A shard cut into Andy's thigh.
12:37Dark green fluid crystallized midair.
12:39Andy felt no pain at first.
12:41Not until his pant legs stiffened.
12:43A few neighbors crept closer.
12:45They had starved for three whole days.
12:47They had become hungry beasts.
12:49Andy's scream cut off.
12:51My mom covered Grandma's eyes
12:53and walked her back to the warm bedroom.
12:54That's nature.
12:55My mom handed me a glass of Coke.
12:57When supplies are running out,
12:58Only those who have basic knowledge
13:00and can keep calm
13:01will earn the right to survive.
13:02It was the fifth day of the extreme cold.
13:04Order downstairs had totally collapsed.
13:06Property manager Gary Wilson
13:07used the spare keys he had
13:08and the riot shields from the storage room
13:10to summon all the guards
13:11and control the ground floor.
13:12Residents of 3201, listen up!
13:14This is Gary Wilson from property management.
13:15Because you refused to share your supplies
13:17and caused other residents to be in danger,
13:19we've cut off your water supply.
13:20You either open the door
13:21or die of thirst.
13:23My mom's listening to the broadcast.
13:24As she peeled a hard-boiled egg for Grandma,
13:26she pointed at the pressure chart on her phone.
13:28Mom, he's shut off the main valve.
13:29He knows nothing about physics or plumbing.
13:31Shutting off the valve to the top floor
13:33will only jack up the pressure on the lower floors.
13:35Our five-ton storage tank is an isolated system.
13:37The pump runs on the generator.
13:38Totally off-grid.
13:39As for our excretion,
13:40my mom installed a biodegradable toilet.
13:42At that moment,
13:43Gary's scream came from the surveillance.
13:45He forced open the fire hydrant on the 31st floor.
13:47As he tried to spray water upward,
13:48the water froze instantly.
13:50Gary immediately became an ice statue.
13:52The guards were terrified.
13:53They dropped their shields and fled.
13:54The air in the corridor kept getting nastier.
13:57At negative 70,
13:58bacteria couldn't multiply.
13:59But a heavy, hopeless vibe
14:01was spreading through the building.
14:02Peaked through the peephole.
14:03A few frozen corpses were stacked in the corridor.
14:05These elites had become nothing but obstacles.
14:08The KOL on the 28th floor
14:09was wrapped in Hermes carpet,
14:10kneeling pathetically at the neighbor's door.
14:11She pounded on the door with her cold hands.
14:13There was only silence.
14:14In the dead of night,
14:15some neighbors torched a leather sofa
14:17as they tried to warm themselves up.
14:18Black smoke went up the vent shaft.
14:20The smoke alarm screeched like crazy.
14:22Grandma was terrified.
14:23It's alright.
14:24Close the internal circulation.
14:26Hazel, switch on the pressure defense mode.
14:27I immediately pressed a button on the control panel.
14:30The variable speed motor roared to life.
14:31The airflow pushed the smoke back into the corridor.
14:33The arsonists almost choked on the smoke they created.
14:35Meanwhile, we were sitting in our living room,
14:37which was at 22 degrees Celsius.
14:38As you flip through an old hookup,
14:39to see how the people outside were holding up,
14:41my mom decided to do an experiment.
14:42She took out a drone fitted with a low-temp battery.
14:45I strapped a pack of expired hardtack to the landing gear
14:47and tied on a bright red ribbon
14:49so everyone could see it.
14:50Hazel, keep your eyes on the feet.
14:51Log every reaction at every window.
14:53The drone flew out the window
14:54and over the once luxurious community.
14:56Most of the French windows were already shattered,
14:57patched with soggy cardboard and grimy sheets.
15:00When the drone hovered outside a window on the 12th floor,
15:02a guy went nuts and lunged onto the balcony.
15:04He reached for the biscuits
15:05and forgot about the ice piled up along the edge.
15:08He went over and slammed into the snow.
15:10Ten stories down.
15:11The rest of the survivors went crazy after that.
15:13Some took out a slingshot and tried to shoot the drone down.
15:15Others waved frantically, screaming for help,
15:17losing every bit of that feedback.
15:18My mom calmly marked crosses and tickets on her spreadsheet.
15:211201, adult male, mid-level threat.
15:232005, gang cluster, high-risk threat.
15:25The food wasn't charity.
15:27That pack of biscuits was pure bait.
15:30Drawing out anyone who might endanger our fortress
15:31so we could tag them one by one.
15:34Frontal assault didn't work.
15:35The scavengers started looking for a way in from below.
15:37Late at night, a power drill whirred under the floor.
15:40Grandma was taking a nap, hugging a hot water sack.
15:42The sound was razor sharp.
15:43Mom, the people on the 31st floor are drooling their ceiling.
15:45I clenched my compound crossbow, palms slick with sweat.
15:48But my mom remained calm.
15:49She pointed to the renovation log we kept.
15:51I put manganese steel plates under the concrete
15:53and packed in high-density fire-retardant insulation.
15:56It would take them forever to break through.
15:58Still, my mom planned to fight back.
16:00She took out two big subwoofers,
16:02flipped them face down over the noise spot,
16:04and played a custom track.
16:06It was a digitally warped horror soundtrack
16:08laced with infrasound that scrambled the heartbeat.
16:10She pressed play,
16:11sending the vibrations to the 31st floor.
16:14Within 10 minutes, the drilling stopped.
16:16It was replaced by something heavy falling to the ground
16:19and loud arguments.
16:20When people were starving and freezing,
16:22such mind tricks could kill them.
16:24Peeking through the periscope,
16:25I saw the crew downstairs beating each other up.
16:27Their alliance was ripped apart by sheer terror.
16:30Day 12 of the extreme cold.
16:31The intercom lights started flashing like crazy.
16:33On the screen, a guy wrapped in a thermal suit showed up.
16:36He was wearing snow goggles.
16:37His chin was covered in stubble.
16:38From his stance, I could tell he had military training.
16:41Owner of 3201, how about we make a deal?
16:43He took a heavy blue cloth pouch out of his coat
16:45and slowly opened it in front of the camera.
16:47Inside was a pile of gold jewelry.
16:49Gold won't keep you warm in the apocalypse.
16:50It actually takes the heat from you.
16:52If you're here to swap it for food,
16:53you're in the wrong place.
16:54The man pulled out a combat knife
16:55and a pistol from his belt.
16:57Gold might be worthless, but these aren't.
16:59The name's Clark, Unit 11, former special rescue member.
17:02My teammates got a fever.
17:03I need a bottle of amoxicillin.
17:04I don't want to use force.
17:05I'll trade the knife and make two promises for the Mets.
17:07My mom studied Mr. Clark on the screen.
17:09She pushed up her glasses.
17:10Deal.
17:10The Mets are in the pass-through box.
17:12Keep the knife.
17:12I want to see what you'll do next.
17:13The deal was made quite quickly.
17:15We used the one-way rail system under the door
17:17to give the man two boxes of antibiotics
17:19and a pack of vacuum-sealed rations.
17:21Once Mr. Clark received the goods,
17:22he gave a slight nod to the camera.
17:24He handled the bodies like a pro.
17:26He hooked their frozen ankles with an iron hook
17:28and dragged them into the elevator shaft.
17:30Broken pieces of a fire axe
17:31and the ashes were swept clean.
17:33Then Mr. Clark pulled out
17:34a small bottle of industrial alcohol from his bag
17:36and sprayed it on the floor for disinfection.
17:38It evaporated fast, taking the stink with it.
17:40The corridor was icy but spotless again.
17:42Mr. Clark aced the first round of the trust test.
17:44My mom put a star next to his name.
17:46That night, we sat by the crackling fireplace
17:48watching the spotless corridor on the monitor.
17:50That long-lost sense of security
17:51caused me to sleep like a baby the first time.
17:53It was an ice age outside,
17:55but up in the attic,
17:56it was a completely different world.
17:58The once spacious attic
17:59was now painted in a mirror silver color.
18:01Rows of LED grow lights glowed pink and purple.
18:03Vegetable and foam boxes were growing like crazy.
18:05The lettuce was thick and green.
18:07Cherry tomatoes and dwarf wheat were thriving.
18:09Grandma's hands trembled as she held the scissors.
18:11She snipped a few tender leaves
18:12and dropped them into the soup.
18:14A light herbal scent filled the kitchen.
18:16Hazel, come quickly!
18:18These greens look way better than anything at the market.
18:20This bowl of soup was now more than just food.
18:22We sat under the warm glow of the lights,
18:23breathing in oxygen that plants had just produced.
18:26My mom looked at that tiny patch of green
18:27and added another line to her notebook.
18:29Resource recycling system, operating normally.
18:31Psych, Eval.
18:32Family bonds getting stronger.
18:33Day 20 of the extreme cold.
18:35Thick layer of ice coated the generator's exhaust vent.
18:37It was the residue fused with frozen vapor.
18:39The RPM was dropping.
18:40We had to shut it down for four hours of maintenance.
18:42My mom looked at the gauges with a serious expression.
18:44We all scrambled into our cold weather gear.
18:46We wrapped ourselves in coats and sleeping bags.
18:49My mom fired up the backup smokeless coal stove.
18:51Such an old heating method.
18:52It wasn't very efficient,
18:53but it kept the core area above freezing.
18:55We curled up on the sofa and hugged each other.
18:58White mist could be seen with every breath.
19:00The temperature in the room soon dropped to zero.
19:02To calm grandma down,
19:03my mom told stories about her actuary days.
19:05As long as we calculate all angles,
19:07then nothing can be a threat to us.
19:08She squeezed my hand.
19:09Her grip was solid and confident.
19:10Four hours later,
19:11the generator roared back to life.
19:12Warm air flooded the room again.
19:14I felt the blood flowing in my veins again.
19:16It was the second month of the extreme cold.
19:18At dawn,
19:18I scanned the streets below with binoculars.
19:20The snow was over 10 feet deep.
19:22Huge white creatures had peered thick.
19:24Silver white fur covered them like armor.
19:26They had long limbs,
19:27and their claws could be seen.
19:28Mom,
19:28those are no stray dogs.
19:30They move in packs across the snow.
19:31When they claw out a frozen body,
19:34their jaws could snap the bones like twigs.
19:36The lead giant wolf lifted its head.
19:38Its red eyes locked onto the vents on the 32nd floor.
19:42Heat from the generator formed a rising column.
19:44To these predators,
19:45it was a beacon.
19:46It jumped up.
19:47Its claws dug into the facade grooves.
19:49It climbed up slowly,
19:50but determinedly.
19:51They can smell strangers.
19:52My mom stepped onto the balcony,
19:53gripping her compound crossbow.
19:54Hazel,
19:55double check every door and window.
19:56Humans are no longer our only enemies.
19:58We're now food to those monsters.
19:59I ran off to secure every door and window.
20:02The mutant wolves were climbing way faster than we thought.
20:04Their claws dug straight into the gaps in the insulation.
20:07When it reached the 15th floor,
20:08those blood red eyes burned with hunger.
20:11Hazel,
20:11treat it like a moving target from physics class.
20:13My mom took out a compound crossbow and handed it to me.
20:16It had a scope and carbon fiber bolts.
20:18She slid the window open a little.
20:19Gust of icy wind blew into the room.
20:21Range,
20:2282 meters.
20:23Elevation,
20:2362 degrees.
20:24Wind,
20:24moderate.
20:25Northerly.
20:25Aim 2 centimeters above its nose.
20:27I held my breath,
20:28finger on the trigger.
20:29Through the scope,
20:30a giant wolf seemed to slow down.
20:32As my mom gave the order,
20:33the carbon bolt ripped through the air.
20:35It punched clean through the lead wolf's left eye.
20:37The force yanked it right off the wall.
20:39The rest of the wolves bolted in panic.
20:41The first threat is neutralized.
20:43One bolt used.
20:44Defensive premium equilibrium.
20:45Accurate calculations and clean executions is what we rely on to survive.
20:48Day 25 of the extreme cold.
20:49A burst of static crackled from the radio.
20:51Mr. Clark's voice was weak and strained.
20:53Martha,
20:53I need help.
20:54The frost wolves have eyes on my building.
20:56They've got explosives and I'm injured.
20:57I'm pulling back toward your place.
20:59I held the radio and turned to look at mom.
21:01She snatched a pen and started crunching numbers.
21:03Mr. Clark has provided effective intel three times.
21:05He has cleared 12 bodies.
21:06He can be trusted.
21:07Let's help him.
21:08Hazel,
21:08prep the rooftop basket.
21:09Mom,
21:10set out the iotaphore,
21:11suture kit,
21:11and cephoperazone.
21:12Ran to the roof and fired up the industrial winch.
21:15The steel wire basket lowered into the blizzard.
21:17Three minutes later,
21:18the line suddenly lurched.
21:20Mr. Clark was inside,
21:20half conscious,
21:21drenched in dark green slime.
21:23A penetrating wound was on his left shoulder.
21:24I dragged him into the warmed quarantine room.
21:26We had rigged it into a mini operating room.
21:28This warm room was Mr. Clark's last shelter.
21:31When Mr. Clark woke up,
21:32it was already the afternoon of the next day.
21:34His first reaction was to grab his gun,
21:36but he found his wound had been neatly stitched up.
21:37A steaming bowl of plain rice porridge sat by the bed.
21:40This is the Taylor family's turf.
21:41You're safe now.
21:42She popped the mag,
21:44checked it,
21:44reloaded,
21:45and handed the gun back to Mr. Clark.
21:46Mr. Clark stared at the bowl of porridge.
21:48His Adam's apple bobbed.
21:50Ms. Taylor, from now on,
21:51my life belongs to you.
21:52My mom nodded
21:53and produced the Taylor safe house rules
21:55she had drafted overnight.
21:56Mr. Clark,
21:57starting today,
21:58you're our head of security.
21:59Your duty is to guard the corridor and rooftop
22:01and watch for anything
22:02off within a three kilometer radius.
22:04We'll provide you with food,
22:05water, and meds,
22:06but you must obey my every command.
22:07Mr. Clark scanned the detailed rules,
22:09which even listed
22:10half me grams of food would be given per meal.
22:12A helpless smile appeared on his face.
22:13He knew that he had a better chance to survive
22:14if he stuck with us.
22:16It was the second month of the extreme cold.
22:17Diesel reserves were running low.
22:19We were burning through fuel
22:20faster than any model predicted.
22:21We had to do something.
22:22There's an industrial district.
22:23They would have a backup diesel stash.
22:25If we can bring back 500L,
22:26we can last another three months.
22:27My mom sat at the control desk,
22:29giving us the bird's eye view.
22:30Before we headed out,
22:30Mr. Clark ran a check on my gear
22:32and on the custom trailer
22:33that could carry five drums.
22:34When we pushed open
22:35the heavy fire door
22:36and stepped outside,
22:37I felt like my lungs
22:38were filled with needles.
22:39I was no longer familiar with the city.
22:41Follow my footprints.
22:43Stay clear of manhole covers.
22:44With every step,
22:45Mr. Clark probed the snow
22:46with a crowbar.
22:47Tom's voice sounded
22:47in my Bluetooth earphones.
22:49Hazel, two o'clock.
22:51There's an overturned truck.
22:53Watch the glass shards.
22:54Wind's picking up.
22:55You've got a 45-minute window.
22:57Countdown starts now.
22:58In this white, silent world,
23:00every extra second out.
23:01Here was torture.
23:02We were about 200 meters
23:03from the gas station
23:04when Mr. Clark signaled for me to stop.
23:05He dropped into a crouch,
23:06half his body disappearing into the snow.
23:08I copied him instantly.
23:09The drone's overhead feed showed
23:11four thugs
23:12prying at the fuel tank lid.
23:14Miss Taylor,
23:14they've got heavy crowbars.
23:15It's already halfway open.
23:17If we don't drop them now,
23:18they'll grab all the diesel.
23:19Don't go head-to-head with them.
23:20We can use our chemistry knowledge.
23:21Hazel, you've got potassium,
23:22permanganate,
23:23and glycerin in your bag.
23:24Use the ratio I taught you
23:24and whip up a smoke bomb.
23:26Toss it up, wind.
23:26Mr. Clark,
23:27take the leader out
23:28once chaos hits.
23:29I yanked two vials from my pack
23:30and mixed them
23:31with pinpoint accuracy.
23:32As I hurled it hard,
23:34a cloud of thick black smoke appeared.
23:36The thugs were swallowed by
23:37sudden darkness,
23:38choking.
23:38Using the smoke as cover,
23:40Mr. Clark snuck behind a sentry
23:42and dropped him silently
23:43into the snow.
23:44The other three panicked,
23:45firing crossbow bolts everywhere.
23:47Soon,
23:48they all fled.
23:49Mr. Clark connected the hose,
23:50pumping the precious black fuel
23:52into the barrels.
23:52Killing was just a method
23:53to get the supplies we needed.
23:55By the time we brought
23:56500 L's of diesel back home,
23:58the sky had turned dark gray.
24:00The two massive drums
24:01left deep marks in the snow.
24:03Each breath frosted
24:04the inside of my mask.
24:06Wait.
24:07Mr. Clark yanked the tow rope,
24:08pointing at a mess
24:09of broad tire tracks
24:10by the main entrance.
24:11They were carved in deep
24:12with clear stud marks for traction.
24:14No way those came
24:15from regular snowmobiles.
24:16These were heavily armored
24:17off-road rigs.
24:18Mr. Clark dropped to the snow
24:19for a closer look.
24:20Face darkening.
24:21It's the Frost Wolves.
24:22At least five vehicles.
24:23They've started coordinated raids
24:24on upscale blocks.
24:26Miss Taylor looks like
24:27they've got their eyes
24:27on the luxury complex.
24:28My mom's voice crackled
24:29in my earpiece.
24:30Her voice was cold,
24:31but serious.
24:31I've got them on the drone feed.
24:32They're sweeping floor by floor,
24:34grabbing every scrap of firewood
24:36and can of food.
24:37Hazel!
24:37Clark!
24:38Fall back!
24:38Take the maintenance ladder
24:39in the elevator shaft.
24:40From now on,
24:41we're at DEFCON 1.
24:43We slipped in through
24:44the secret tunnel
24:44and hit the 32nd floor.
24:46The sudden warmth
24:47nearly made my knees buckle,
24:48but my mom didn't let me rest.
24:50She pointed at the live camera feeds.
24:51A squad of men
24:52in matching black parkas
24:53packed the lobby
24:54on the ground floor,
24:55hauling welders
24:56and explosives.
24:57They're no ordinary people.
24:59They're coordinated raiders.
25:00My mom highlighted
25:01the wolf head emblem
25:03on the leader's chest.
25:04They only believe in power.
25:06That mindset
25:07could endanger our fortress.
25:08If we go head to head,
25:10we've got maybe
25:10a 30% chance of winning.
25:12We need to use
25:12scarcity economics
25:13to fracture their ranks.
25:14I glanced at mom's
25:15calm, razor-sharp profile,
25:16realizing what lay ahead
25:17was a war for humanity itself.
25:19Far harsher.
25:20Than the cold.
25:20The frost wolves
25:21didn't hit the 32nd floor
25:22right away.
25:23They first set up a base
25:24on the 20th floor.
25:25They had beaten everyone
25:26and stolen every last scrap
25:27of food.
25:28On the security feed,
25:28we saw those bastards
25:29were vicious,
25:30but their hierarchy
25:31was airtight.
25:31The bottom grunts
25:32got nothing but a dribble
25:33of watery rice porridge.
25:34Good, my mom uttered.
25:35She pushed her glasses
25:36and armed the drone's
25:37payload bay.
25:37We didn't drop bombs.
25:39We showered the 20th floor
25:40with flyers,
25:41scrawled in bright red marker.
25:43The pitch was simple.
25:44Rad out one member,
25:45bring his badge
25:45to the 32nd floor
25:47for two packs of food.
25:49Ms. Taylor,
25:50you sure this'll work?
25:51Mr. Clark frowned.
25:52They're all on the same team.
25:53When resources are scarce,
25:54alliances are nothing.
25:55It's called
25:56marginal cost baiting.
25:57To a grunt at the bottom,
25:58offing the boss
25:59who's been riding them
26:00will get them
26:00food and freedom.
26:02All it costs
26:03is a single
26:03treacherous thought.
26:05Soon,
26:05my mom's method worked.
26:06On camera,
26:07the 20th floor camp
26:08erupted into chaos,
26:09followed by dull thuds
26:10and shrieks.
26:11One member with frostbite
26:12all over his body
26:13waited until his leader
26:14was asleep,
26:14then caved his skull in
26:15with a wrench,
26:16snatched the metal wolf head badge,
26:17and bolted for the staircase
26:19like a lunatic.
26:19He dropped to his knees
26:20in front of the heavy steel door,
26:22howling and clawing at it.
26:23Through the slot,
26:24my mom passed him
26:25two packs of food.
26:28He grabbed them,
26:29didn't care they were rock hard,
26:30ripped one open,
26:31and shoveled it
26:32straight into his mouth,
26:33eyes blazing
26:33with post-apocalypse mania.
26:35Just watch,
26:35my mom said coldly.
26:36Once he goes back,
26:37he'll be a walking billboard.
26:38The Frost Wolves' trust
26:39between members
26:40was no more.
26:40The battle at Star Bay
26:41slid into a weird stalemate.
26:43Because of our plan,
26:44the Frost Wolves
26:45had to
26:45waste their energy
26:47on purges
26:48and backstabbing.
26:49Meanwhile,
26:49Grandma was also busy.
26:51She dug through
26:51those hundreds of boxes
26:52of old clothes
26:53we'd hoarded
26:53and salvaged piles
26:54of cashmere yarn
26:55and thermal batting.
26:56Sitting by the fireplace,
26:57her fingers flew like lightning,
26:58knitting a dozen thick
27:00wool knee pads
27:01and fleece gloves
27:01with grip dots.
27:02Hazel,
27:02you'll need knees
27:03when you go out.
27:04If you injure your knees,
27:05then you're crippled
27:06for life.
27:07She passed me
27:07a stack of knee pads.
27:08Her eyes were full of kindness.
27:10My mom looked over
27:11the pile of crafts
27:12and her eyes lit up.
27:13Mom,
27:13you did a great job.
27:14These are high value,
27:15handmade goods.
27:16That very day,
27:17we flew the drone again
27:18and dropped the gear
27:19to residents
27:20still in the building
27:20with a little note.
27:22Give us intel
27:23on Frost Wolf ammo
27:24and you'll get
27:25one pair of knee pads.
27:26The trade fired
27:27the survivors right up.
27:28Neighbors who'd been pissed
27:29but didn't dare speak up
27:30became our eyes and ears.
27:32Thanks to their tips,
27:33Mr. Clark rigged
27:34precise booby traps
27:35in the corridor
27:36blowing up two Frost Wolf scouts
27:37sneaking upstairs.
27:38Miss Taylor,
27:40what a great move.
27:41Now the whole building's
27:42watching those guys for us.
27:43The credit's not mine alone.
27:45Mom handed grandma
27:45a hot drink.
27:46It's a trade.
27:47In this world,
27:48brute force only lasts
27:49for so long.
27:50Only the people
27:50who bring essentials
27:51and warmth
27:52can really lay down order.
27:53Grandma's knee pads
27:54carry more warmth
27:55than bullets,
27:55which makes them deadlier.
27:56Day 45 of the extreme cold.
27:58Our old radio
27:59was hissing with static
28:00then suddenly
28:01snagged a faint
28:02government channel.
28:02This is the emergency
28:03shelter center.
28:04All surviving citizens
28:05proceed to the downtown
28:06underground city.
28:07Warmth and government
28:08rations are available.
28:09Abandon your private shelters.
28:10Grandma's face lit up.
28:12Hazel,
28:12the government's
28:13coming for us.
28:13Why don't we move there?
28:14There's safety in numbers.
28:15My mom remained on the sofa,
28:17writing equations
28:18on a scrap of paper.
28:19Five minutes later,
28:19she looked up.
28:20There was no joy
28:21in her eyes,
28:22only seriousness.
28:23No,
28:23that place is a death trap.
28:24Why?
28:25I asked,
28:26baffled.
28:26The numbers don't add up.
28:27Mom turned the notebook
28:28for us to see.
28:29They say the shelter
28:30holds 500 that's
28:31and people.
28:32At our city's survival rate,
28:33at least 3 million
28:34will flood in.
28:35The oxygen system,
28:36waste processing,
28:38the power supply,
28:39none of it
28:39can handle that load.
28:40Foods,
28:41the killer.
28:41With broken supply lines,
28:43everyone inside
28:44gets under 200 grams
28:45of starch blocks a day.
28:47That's not a rescue.
28:48It's herding people together
28:49for a quiet massacre.
28:51My mom stood up,
28:52staring at the white world outside.
28:53When resources are fixed,
28:54the denser the crowd,
28:55the likelier individuals
28:57would be sacrificed.
28:58We stay in Star Bay.
28:59It might be isolated,
29:00but we control all the resources.
29:01Going there,
29:02we'd just be expendables to them.
29:04Mr. Clark nodded to,
29:05a place like the underground city
29:06will inevitably turn into
29:08gladiatorial arena
29:08of survival of the fittest.
29:10Ms. Taylor's calculation is right.
29:11We shouldn't go.
29:11We turned off the radio.
29:12At that moment,
29:13this decision to refuse
29:14official rescue
29:14was the last
29:15of our clear understanding
29:16of this world.
29:17Late at night,
29:18the brutal cold outside
29:19seemed to hit its limit.
29:21In the pitch black sky,
29:22ribbons of green light
29:23suddenly bloomed.
29:24They rolled
29:25and intertwined overhead.
29:27The aurora.
29:27My mom stood
29:28at the bulletproof window,
29:29her voice for once soft.
29:31The atmosphere's hot,
29:32cold currents
29:32are out of balance,
29:33so the geomagnetic field
29:34is going haywire.
29:35Such beauty in the apocalypse.
29:37Shot through
29:37with a killing chill.
29:38A gorgeous view like this
29:39deserves a feast.
29:40Grandma grinned
29:41and began cooking.
29:42My mom popped
29:42a precious can
29:43of premium Russian
29:44luncheon meat.
29:45Mr. Clark added
29:46a few frozen wild eggs
29:47he had scavenged.
29:48Grandma used
29:49the attic-grown lettuce
29:50and dried chilies
29:51to cook up
29:51a steaming plate of greens.
29:53The staple food
29:54was rice.
29:54Power and gas
29:55had been dead for ages,
29:56yet we dined
29:57on the 32nd floor
29:58of Star Bay
29:59with the heater humming.
30:00The temperature was set
30:01at 23 degrees Celsius.
30:02Mr. Clark felt
30:03a little awkward
30:04sitting at our table
30:05for the first time.
30:06Mom piled him
30:06a mountain of rice
30:07topped with two thick
30:08slices of luncheon meat.
30:09Mr. Clark,
30:10you've been working
30:10hard lately.
30:11We've got plenty
30:12of food for you.
30:13My mom raised
30:14a glass of Coke.
30:15Thank you,
30:15Miss Taylor.
30:16His voice was
30:16a little hoarse,
30:17eyes fixed on that
30:18plate of vivid greens,
30:20rimmed with tears.
30:21Out there,
30:21that kind of green
30:22was a myth.
30:22In here,
30:23it was dinner.
30:23Outside,
30:24the aurora lights
30:25shined over the ruined city.
30:26Countless people froze
30:27or starved to death.
30:28Inside,
30:29warm amber light
30:30wrapped around us.
30:31Spicy hot pot steam
30:32curled upward.
30:33Looked at mom
30:34and grandma,
30:34then at Mr. Clark
30:35beside me.
30:36The apocalypse
30:36didn't break us.
30:37It just burned away
30:38the fake social crap.
30:39We went back
30:40to blood relations
30:41and promises.
30:41As long as we were
30:42still family,
30:43this coldness
30:44was nothing but scenery
30:45to us.
30:47The calmness
30:47was ripped apart
30:48by the low,
30:49booming roar
30:49of engines.
30:50Day 48 of the extreme cold
30:51through a high-power
30:52thermoscope,
30:53I saw five modded
30:54heavy off-road trucks
30:55spreading out
30:56in a fan
30:56around the Star Bay building.
30:57Knife-edged snowplows
30:59who welded to the grills.
31:00Blinding searchlights
31:00glared from the roofs.
31:01Miss Taylor,
31:02they've rounded up
31:02every stray scumbag nearby.
31:04Mr. Clark checked
31:05his rifle safety
31:05while giving mom
31:06a rapid sit rep.
31:07There's roughly 40 of them.
31:08Their leader
31:09is the head
31:09of the Frost Wolves.
31:10His name's Scar.
31:11They're loaded
31:12with homemade bombs
31:13and industrial cutters.
31:14Looks like they're set
31:15on busting into the lobby
31:15of the ground floor.
31:16My mom didn't panic.
31:17Instead,
31:18she pulled out
31:18Star Bay's structural blueprints.
31:20A frontal assault
31:20is inevitable.
31:21Their supplies have ran out.
31:22If they don't take ours,
31:23half of them
31:24will freeze to death tonight.
31:25The lobby glass
31:25downstairs is reinforced,
31:26but a homemade charge
31:27will blow right through it.
31:28Hazel,
31:29Mr. Clark,
31:29abandon the first 10 floors.
31:31Lock every fire door.
31:32Flore them into the shafts
31:33and stairwells.
31:34Those tight vertical tubes,
31:36their numbers
31:37turn into dead weight.
31:38It's the best choice we've got.
31:39Mom noted the energy drain
31:40in her notebook.
31:41This time,
31:41we burned 3 kilowatt hours
31:43and 10 liters
31:43of industrial lube.
31:44They flooded into the lobby
31:45like a tide.
31:46Mr. Clark,
31:47get ready for the next wave.
31:48They're going to use
31:49the cutters.
31:50They don't know that.
31:51From the moment
31:51they stepped into this building,
31:52they had entered
31:53my mom's death trap.
31:55In this vertical steel chimney,
31:57each floor they climbed
31:58would cost them
31:58precious stamina
31:59and oxygen.
32:00The thugs quickly realized
32:02that the fire escapes
32:03to the upper floors
32:03were sealed
32:04by over a dozen steel doors.
32:05Scar,
32:06their leader,
32:06wasted no time
32:07giving orders.
32:08He told a couple
32:08of his nimblest guys
32:09to climb the elevator shaft.
32:11Few agile members
32:12started scrambling up the cables.
32:13They've gone into the shaft.
32:15I kept my eyes
32:15on the pressure sensors
32:16on the monitor.
32:17Mr. Clark had mounted them
32:18on the cable base in advance.
32:19Start the lube plan.
32:20Mom gave the order.
32:21Mr. Clark hit the remote.
32:22All four spray tanks
32:24we had hidden
32:24in the machine room
32:25fired at once.
32:26A torrent of industrial lubricant
32:28cascaded down
32:28the four main lift cables.
32:30Even at mega
32:30to 60 degrees Celsius,
32:32that stuff was still
32:33very slick.
32:34After that,
32:34Mr. Clark hooked
32:35a high voltage discharge
32:36module to the cables.
32:38It was stripped
32:38from a Tesla battery pack.
32:40The thugs who'd been
32:41climbing like monkeys
32:42a moment earlier
32:42knew something was off.
32:44The instant their hands
32:45touched the cables,
32:46that greasy mess
32:47made it impossible
32:47to keep a grip.
32:48Then a blue arc
32:49ripped down the steel lines.
32:51Screams echoed
32:53through the narrow shaft.
32:54Losing their hold,
32:55the thugs dropped
32:56from various heights
32:57and landed hard
32:58at the bottom
32:59of the shaft.
33:00Take away friction
33:01at a blast of high voltage
33:02and we just wiped out
33:03five of their best men.
33:05Repeated setbacks
33:05made Scar furious.
33:07They stacked a mountain
33:08of junk tires
33:09and cheap plastic
33:09on the ground floor,
33:10doused it in gas
33:11and lit it up.
33:12The thick, toxic smoke
33:13powered by the chimney effect
33:14rocketed up the vents
33:15toward the higher floors.
33:16Miss Taylor,
33:17they're trying to
33:17choke us to death.
33:18Mr. Clark's voice
33:19sounded through his gas mask,
33:20low and muffled.
33:21This tactic is a joke
33:22against a modern building.
33:23My mom pushed her glasses
33:24and started working
33:25the console.
33:26Hazel,
33:26switch the air ventilation
33:27to reverse
33:28and hope that crate
33:29of concentrated CS gas
33:30to the atomizer heads.
33:31I sprinted
33:32to the machine room.
33:32I twisted a cylinder
33:33labeled CS tear gas
33:35concentrate into the port.
33:36Three giant centrifugal bands
33:38lured to life,
33:39spinning in reverse.
33:39The rising smoke
33:40was blown back down
33:42to the 25th floor.
33:43At the same time,
33:44air released
33:45with tear gas
33:46flooded every floor
33:47through the vents.
33:48Contact with it
33:49would be if one feel
33:49like their skin is on fire.
33:51Breathing would cause
33:52one to go blind.
33:54Soon the stairwell
33:55echoed with coughs
33:56and puking.
33:57The raiders
33:58quickly dropped
33:58their cutters.
33:59They stumbled in the dark
34:00like headless chickens
34:01trampling on each other.
34:02That's the power
34:03of chemistry.
34:04Mom watched the monitors
34:04as the figures
34:05on the floor
34:05writhed in agony.
34:06No bullets needed.
34:07Just change the air composition.
34:08It can destroy
34:09their organizational cohesion.
34:10Mr. Clark,
34:11prepare for the
34:11decapitation strike.
34:12Scar should be hiding
34:13on the 10th floor
34:14where there's no ventilation.
34:15That's his only way out.
34:16And that's where
34:17we'll catch him.
34:18Scar has to die.
34:19If he's alive,
34:19he'll always be a threat.
34:21My mom drew a circle
34:21on the map.
34:22Her eyes had that cold,
34:23number cruncher look
34:24only an actuary would have.
34:25Mr. Clark suited up
34:26in a lightweight
34:26spec ops rig.
34:27Two coils
34:27of high tensile
34:28Kevlar rope
34:29were slung across his back.
34:30He glanced at the blizzard,
34:31howling outside the window.
34:32Ms. Taylor,
34:33I'll rappel straight down
34:33the outside wall
34:34to the 10th floor.
34:35At that height,
34:36they'll never see someone
34:36dropping in from above.
34:37Hazel,
34:38you handle the drone.
34:39Use the strobes
34:40to blind them.
34:41I'll blast high decibel static
34:42through the building's speakers
34:44to jam their short-range comms.
34:46Once we move,
34:47make it fast
34:47and clean.
34:48I piloted the modified drone,
34:50easing it down
34:50the outside of Star Bay.
34:52Bathed in moonlight
34:53and the aurora lights,
34:54Mr. Clark slid down
34:55the outside wall
34:56with practiced ease,
34:57skating past
34:58every jutting icicle.
34:59The second my mom
35:00hit the static button,
35:01deafening white noise
35:02flooded every motion sensor
35:04speaker in the building.
35:05The roar was ear-splitting.
35:06At the same moment,
35:07I jerked the drone
35:08to hover outside
35:09the balcony of the 10th floor.
35:10Four high-power LED strobes
35:12were turned on,
35:13turning the room
35:13into daylight.
35:14Scar hacking behind.
35:15The curtains
35:16was blinded immediately.
35:17He pulled out
35:17his homemade shotgun
35:19and fired wildly.
35:20At that moment,
35:21Mr. Clark broke
35:22into the room.
35:23He didn't say anything
35:24and just swung his knife.
35:26Scar didn't even have time
35:27to close his eyes
35:28before a warm jet of blood
35:30burst from his neck
35:31and became a red mist
35:32in the cold air.
35:33Scar's head
35:34was hauled into the lobby
35:35on the 20th floor
35:36by Mr. Clark.
35:37The thugs who survived
35:37the tear gas
35:38were now huddled
35:39under blankets,
35:40shaking.
35:40The instant they saw
35:41that head,
35:42their will to fight,
35:43disappeared.
35:44From now on,
35:45Frostwolves is no more.
35:46Mr. Clark's domineering voice
35:48echoed through
35:48the silent hallway.
35:49My mom,
35:50wrapped in a heavy
35:51mink coat,
35:52was escorted downstairs
35:52by Mr. Clark and me.
35:54She stood among the crowd,
35:55pushed her glasses,
35:56and opened some files.
35:57My name's Martha Taylor.
35:58I'm the one in charge here.
35:59We don't feed dead weight.
36:01Anyone with a medical license
36:02or mechanical repair skills,
36:04step up.
36:04Anyone with farming
36:05or electrical experience,
36:07step up.
36:07Under the threat
36:08of death and hunger,
36:09the survivors raised
36:10their trembling hands.
36:11Good.
36:11Mom jotted their names
36:12in her notebook.
36:13Dr. Wallace,
36:14Mr. Barton,
36:15Mr. Brooks,
36:15you are tier one tech labor.
36:16You live on the 30th floor
36:18and have meat
36:18with every meal.
36:19Everyone else who's young
36:20and fit falls into
36:21tier three manual labor.
36:22You'll clear snow
36:22and patch the walls.
36:24Do well and you can move up.
36:25As for the ones
36:26with criminal records
36:27or who just want a free ride,
36:28Mom glanced at the
36:29pitch black ice field outside.
36:30Her tone remained flat.
36:31Mr. Clark,
36:32toss those last five punks outside.
36:33This is a fortress,
36:34not a charity.
36:35Every calorie has to be earned.
36:37The sounds of the five
36:38begging for mercy
36:38were swallowed by the blizzard.
36:40Star Bay had finally
36:41set up a hierarchy.
36:42This new order,
36:43built on supplies and skill,
36:44was far sturdier
36:45than any rule of brute force.
36:46The entire Star Bay building
36:48was cleared out
36:48and split into zones.
36:49My mom named the place
36:50the Taylor Cooperative.
36:52She set up a precise
36:53point management system.
36:54Hazel,
36:55you don't run a crowd
36:56with force.
36:56You bait them with payoff.
36:58She sketched a pyramid
36:59on the chalkboard.
37:00The 32nd floor
37:01was still the core
37:01restricted zone.
37:02Only our family
37:03and Mr. Clark lived there.
37:04We kept the generators,
37:05the seed bank,
37:06and most of the premium supplies.
37:07Floors 30 to 31
37:09were turned into a tech hub.
37:10Dr. Wallace,
37:11plus our two mechanics,
37:12Mr. Brooks
37:12and Mr. Barton,
37:13lived there.
37:13They kept everyone healthy
37:15and the building running.
37:16Floors 23 to 29
37:17became the labor zone.
37:19Those guys took turns
37:20scavenging fuel
37:21and clearing threats nearby.
37:22Mom gave each of them
37:23a custom point token.
37:25The amount of food
37:25or fuel
37:26one was allowed
37:27to trade for
37:27was labeled specifically.
37:29Betray us,
37:29you starve.
37:30Obey us,
37:31you live.
37:32Such simple logic
37:32is the most effective.
37:34Grandma became
37:35the logistics chief.
37:35She and a crew of women
37:36built a bigger
37:37indoor greenhouse
37:38on the 25th floor.
37:39They used scrap plastic
37:41to do so.
37:42They composted kitchen waste
37:44with water
37:44pumped up from the basement.
37:46When people got their first bowl of food,
37:47which was a mixture of rice,
37:49meat bits,
37:49dried vegetables,
37:50many just dropped to their knees
37:51and cried.
37:52In a time when morals had collapsed,
37:54Mom used ice-cold calculus
37:55to give these desperate souls
37:57the illusion of order.
37:59Day 60 of the extreme cold,
38:01an armored vehicle pulled up
38:02at the building entrance.
38:03It was a matte black armored truck.
38:05The government shelter logo
38:06was plastered on the side.
38:07Two envoys climbed out,
38:09wrapped in high-tech exo-armor
38:10and sealed helmets.
38:11They stopped at the locked steel doors
38:13and barked through a megaphone.
38:14Manager of Star Bay,
38:15we're here on behalf
38:16of the central underground city.
38:17Under emergency regulations,
38:19you must hand over
38:19all remaining supplies
38:20and generators.
38:21Everyone will be relocated.
38:23My mom stood in front of the monitor,
38:25sneered,
38:25and pressed the intercom.
38:26Relocation.
38:27You mean,
38:27turned into labor for your bunker
38:28or maybe forced to dig mines
38:30for your rich pals?
38:31We've got no spare supplies,
38:32just landmines,
38:33locked and loaded.
38:34You should leave.
38:34The envoys clearly didn't expect
38:35anyone to defy the authorities.
38:37Ms. Taylor,
38:37face reality.
38:38The underground city
38:39has real troops
38:40and a full industrial base.
38:41Resistance is pointless.
38:43You have 24 hours to comply
38:44or you'll face the consequences.
38:46Mr. Clark tightened his grip
38:47on the sniper rifle
38:48and glanced at my mom.
38:49Ms. Taylor,
38:50they're after our resources.
38:51Sure,
38:51the underground city's big,
38:52but with this weather,
38:53their supply lines are cut too.
38:54They're here to steal our resources.
38:56They're desperate.
38:57If they still had resources to spare,
38:58they wouldn't just send two envoys.
39:00They'd kick things off
39:01with attack choppers.
39:0124 hours?
39:02That means they're hesitating.
39:04Hazel,
39:04haul out that crate of antibiotics
39:05we've been hoarding.
39:06We're not surrendering our resources.
39:08We can make a deal with them.
39:09When the envoys knocked on our door again,
39:11my mom kept them out
39:12and sent Mr. Clark outside with a crate.
39:14He popped it open in the snow.
39:1650 boxes of amoxicillin,
39:1720 bottles of ibuprofen,
39:19and 10 bags of saline
39:20were stacked neatly.
39:21Even through their masks,
39:22I could hear those two envoys panting.
39:24Call it a welcome gift.
39:25Mom's voice boomed from the speaker.
39:27Right now,
39:28you don't lack gold or generators.
39:30You lack meds.
39:31I can keep them coming,
39:32but you need to trade for them
39:33with what I want.
39:34What do you want?
39:35The envoy asked.
39:36Voice suddenly polite.
39:37Heavy weapons.
39:38Two QJG-02AA guns.
39:40Three crates of grenades
39:41and schematics
39:42for two nuclear fuel cell interfaces.
39:44Plus intel on whoever's bankrolling
39:46the Frostwolves.
39:47The envoys went silent,
39:48clearly checking with HQ.
39:49That violates protocol.
39:51Rules don't mean anything
39:52at minus 70.
39:53Without the meds,
39:54then you'll have 100 extra bodies
39:56in your clinic by dawn.
39:57Deal or war?
39:58You've got 10 minutes.
39:59The armored truck finally dumped
40:00two crates of heavy ammo
40:02and left with the medicine.
40:03Mom eyed the brand new guns,
40:05turned to Mr. Clark and said,
40:06Mount these weapons on the roof.
40:07They won't let this slide.
40:09They gave in
40:10because they needed time.
40:11Once they're ready,
40:12they'll come back
40:13in a larger scale.
40:14We need to use these weapons
40:16and turn Star Bay
40:17into a fortress
40:18they can't punch through.
40:19Just as we were scrambling
40:20to get ready,
40:21a weird illness suddenly broke out
40:22inside Star Bay.
40:23Two workers on the 25th floor
40:24started puking
40:25and getting fevers.
40:26But unlike a normal cold,
40:27their skin turned a creepy
40:28bluish purple
40:30like ice shards
40:31were running through their veins
40:32instead of blood.
40:33Ms. Taylor,
40:33it's the low-temp mutant virus.
40:34Dr. Wallace,
40:35wrapped in a homemade hazmat suit,
40:36reported to mom
40:37from behind the glass
40:38of the observation room.
40:38This virus is most active
40:40around negative 40 degrees Celsius.
40:41The infected first feel
40:43unbearably hot,
40:43then die when their organs
40:45flash freeze.
40:45If it spreads,
40:46the whole co-op is finished.
40:48Everyone in the building
40:48began to panic.
40:49People started eyeing each other
40:50with suspicion.
40:51Some even tried to bolt
40:52out of the building.
40:53Lock down every passage
40:54from the 25th
40:55to the 30th floor.
40:56Hazel,
40:56take out those 50 crates
40:57of antibiotics,
40:58the antiviral syrup,
40:58and our mountain
40:59of vitamin C.
41:00Tell everyone
41:01that as long as they stay
41:01in quarantine,
41:02there's more than enough
41:03meds to go around.
41:04Mom took the mic herself,
41:05voice steady and commanding.
41:06Listen up,
41:07we've got plenty of medicine.
41:08Take your preventive doses
41:09on schedule.
41:10And this thing is curable.
41:11Anyone who tries
41:11to hide their symptoms
41:12will be executed.
41:13Anyone who stirs up trouble
41:15will be executed.
41:16Mr. Clark,
41:16lead a patrol.
41:17Under that mix of threat
41:18and promised meds,
41:19the panic miraculously died down.
41:21Mom never had any magic cure.
41:22She had just done the math.
41:23The virus killed the weak.
41:25But for the well-nourished,
41:26the fatality rate
41:26was under 5%.
41:27By doling out
41:28those pricey preventatives,
41:29we not only kept
41:30everyone calm,
41:31we also used the outbreak
41:32to weed out
41:32every last piece
41:33of dead weight.
41:34Just as the outbreak
41:35was finally under control,
41:36the underground city
41:37launched an attack.
41:38But it wasn't armored trucks
41:39this time.
41:40It was a full squadron
41:40of attack choppers.
41:41They slipped in
41:42during a lull in the blizzard,
41:43trying to fast rope
41:44onto Star Bay's roof.
41:45They just broke the deal!
41:46A glare at the red dots
41:47on the radar
41:47with cold eyes.
41:48Classic market competition.
41:49Mom took a sip of hot tea calmly.
41:50When looting costs
41:51less than trading,
41:53war's inevitable.
41:54They think we're just
41:54civilians guarding meds.
41:56Mr. Clark is already
41:57on the roof.
41:58The two heavy machine guns
41:59we got from them
42:00roared to life.
42:01From our perch
42:01on the 32nd floor,
42:03the choppers were already
42:04fighting the sub-zero turbulence.
42:06One burst from the AA gun
42:07shredded the lead rotor.
42:09A blinding fireball followed.
42:11The birds spiraled
42:12into the abyss.
42:13Hazel, set off
42:14the thermite traps
42:15on the roof!
42:16I pressed the red switch.
42:17A ring of white-hot fire
42:19erupted around
42:20Star Bay's rooftop.
42:21The heat spike
42:22flipped the pressure,
42:23kicking up a savage updraft.
42:26The last two choppers
42:27were shaking
42:27as if they had hit
42:28an invisible wall.
42:29Their instruments went dark
42:30one by one.
42:31The pilots screamed for help
42:32but could only watch
42:33the birds lose control
42:34as they crashed
42:35into a building nearby.
42:36The deal's off.
42:37Now we must be
42:38on the defense.
42:39Mom stood up,
42:39eyes on the distant flames.
42:41As of today,
42:42Star Bay answers
42:42to no one.
42:43We are the new law
42:44of this frozen wasteland.
42:46The fireball from the crash
42:47flared for only a few seconds
42:49in the blizzard
42:49before darkness
42:50swallowed it whole.
42:51At dawn,
42:51as the first faint light
42:52broke over the horizon,
42:54I spotted a few giant
42:54steel beasts
42:55crawling across the distance
42:56snowfield.
42:57They were assault vehicles
42:58painted in white camouflage.
42:59The sound of their tires
43:00crushing the snow
43:01sounded like thunder
43:02rolling over the earth.
43:03They had gone all out
43:03this time.
43:04Mr. Clark wiped
43:05the frost off his face,
43:06clutching the binoculars
43:07tightly.
43:07Three assault vehicles
43:08and two platoons
43:09of infantry.
43:10Miss Taylor,
43:10with armor that thick,
43:12our AA machine guns
43:12won't even scratch them.
43:13They're planning to blast
43:15our building's foundation.
43:16My mom sat at the command desk.
43:18There was not a hint
43:18of panic in her eyes.
43:19She pushed her glasses
43:20and pointed at the temperature
43:21readout on screen.
43:21It's negative 75 degrees
43:23Celsius out there.
43:23Those trucks were built
43:24for normal wars.
43:25In this kind of weather,
43:26their hydraulics,
43:27steel,
43:28and lube
43:28are all about to crack.
43:30They're only pushing forward
43:31because they think
43:32we lack heavy weapons.
43:33Mom,
43:34what should we do?
43:35My palms were sweating
43:36as those monsters
43:37kept closing in.
43:38We hit them asynchronously.
43:40Hazel,
43:41take out some hydraulic coolant
43:42and concentrated liquid nitrogen.
43:44Mr. Clark,
43:45tell every co-op member
43:46to get to basement level two.
43:48We're turning the ground floor
43:49of Star Bay
43:49into a deep freeze
43:50that'll shatter their vehicles.
43:52Facing a sweep
43:52by a regular army,
43:53people in Star Bay
43:54were in turmoil.
43:55Those former thugs
43:56and ordinary citizens
43:57stared at the distant vehicles
43:58with despair all over the faces.
44:00Some even suggested
44:00opening the gates
44:01and surrendering
44:02just to stay alive.
44:03My mom stood a co-op broadcaster,
44:04her voice booming
44:05through loudspeakers
44:06on every floor.
44:07Everyone,
44:07the envoys from Underground City
44:09have made it clear.
44:09They want the supplies
44:10and the generators,
44:11not you.
44:12In their math,
44:12you're a negative number
44:13on the ration spreadsheet.
44:14If you go with them,
44:15your only role
44:16is slave labor in the mines
44:17or be left for dead
44:18when the food runs out.
44:19But here,
44:20in the Taylor Cooperative,
44:21as long as you pick up a weapon,
44:22then you'll have hot food,
44:23dignity,
44:23and the right to stay alive.
44:25My mom's words
44:26crushed their illusions and dreams.
44:28Mr. Clark,
44:29hand out the guns.
44:30We dragged out the grenades
44:31we've recently got.
44:32Plus piles of homemade Molotovs
44:34and steel crossbows.
44:35The workers who had been
44:36cowering a minute ago
44:36burst into raw savagery
44:38under the threat of death.
44:39As long as Star Bay stands,
44:40no one will starve.
44:41Dr. Wallace was the first to shout,
44:43those once selfish,
44:44greedy, petty people
44:45locked ranks
44:45for the very first time.
44:47With brutal honesty,
44:47Mom laid out the numbers
44:48and pulled off the tightest,
44:49fastest pre-battle rally ever.
44:50The first armored truck
44:51plowed straight through
44:52the compound wall.
44:53A giant gambler
44:54slowly slipped.
44:54It threw in on the ground floor lobby
44:55of Star Bay.
44:56Using its own weight,
44:57it tried to ram the main doors.
44:58Now!
44:58My mom roared over the radio.
45:00Mr. Clark charged in
45:01with a team behind him.
45:02They erupted from
45:02a pre-dust sewage tunnel
45:03on the flank.
45:04They didn't have
45:04any explosives on them.
45:05Just a few massive
45:06industrial liquid nitrogen
45:07banks roll along.
45:08In an environment
45:08of minus 73 degrees,
45:09the nitrogen spray
45:10made a temperature
45:10around it drop drastically.
45:12The truck cracked
45:12and arm already brittle
45:13from the cold.
45:14Under the influence
45:15of the liquid nitrogen
45:16began to screech loudly.
45:18That's the physics
45:19of cold embrittlement.
45:20Under such brutal
45:20temperature swings,
45:22alloy steel turns
45:22as fragile as glass.
45:24Spotting his moment,
45:25Mr. Clark lifted
45:26a weighted industrial
45:26sledgehammer
45:27and smashed it down
45:28on the track joint
45:29with a sharp
45:30metallic cracking sound.
45:32The assault vehicle,
45:33which weighed tons,
45:34cracked into pieces.
45:35After being immobilized,
45:37it was now a steel coffin
45:38in the snow.
45:39Members of the co-op
45:40poured a gas cocktail
45:40from above.
45:41The flames couldn't
45:42melt that armor,
45:43but the whiplash of heat
45:44against deep freeze
45:45made the viewing ports
45:46blow out one after another.
45:47Their commander
45:48could only watch helplessly
45:49as the vehicle
45:50was turned to scraps.
45:51Seeing a ground assault
45:52bogged down,
45:52the underground city commander
45:53ordered the last two
45:54choppers to skim low
45:56to cover the rooftop
45:56and the repelling troops
45:58with machine gun fire.
45:59Hazel, bring out
46:00the big surprise
46:01we've prepared
46:02for three years.
46:02It was a crate
46:03of high-density
46:03display fireworks.
46:04Um, snagged them
46:04back the start.
46:05The apocalypses
46:05were no ordinary fireworks.
46:07They were pro-grade
46:07flame jets
46:08used in big shows.
46:09Um, you really think
46:10these can take down
46:10a helicopter?
46:11I wasn't so sure.
46:11They don't have to
46:12punch through the fuselage.
46:13Just blind the heights
46:14and scrambler senses.
46:15Up here,
46:15the hot and gold
46:15air currents are a mess.
46:16A burst of metal powder
46:17makes a brutal heat bubble
46:19that chokes a turbine
46:20in seconds
46:21and fries the infrared sensors
46:24meters overhead.
46:25I hit the remote.
46:27Dozens of fireworks
46:28shot towards the sky,
46:29detonating right
46:30under the rotors.
46:31Lazing white fireballs
46:32bloomed like tiny suns.
46:34The glare stunned
46:35the pilots for a moment.
46:36But the real killer
46:37was magnesium-only
46:38ash sucked into the intakes,
46:40triggering catastrophic
46:41mechanical failure.
46:42The birds spiraled
46:43out of control
46:43like a hammered trunk.
46:44Tail smashed
46:45to the lighting wrong roof
46:46with a hopeless roar.
46:47It cartwheeled
46:48into the office building
46:49across the street,
46:50scrawling a brief
46:51brilliant streak of fire
46:52across the gray sky.
46:53The attackers were
46:54completely crippled.
46:55Broken tanks
46:55and burning wreckage
46:56littered the snowfields.
46:58The remaining infantry
46:58were stuck out there
46:59at minus 70.
47:00Their morale had hit
47:00an all-time low
47:01with no supplies or heat.
47:03If they don't get back
47:03to Underground City
47:04within an hour,
47:05they would freeze to death.
47:06Mom had Mr. Clark
47:07set up a huge screen
47:08at the entrance.
47:09There was no threat on it.
47:10There was just a detailed map.
47:12It tagged three
47:12hidden supply caches
47:13around Underground City.
47:15A thundering loudspeaker
47:16carried our offer.
47:17Commander,
47:18this is Martha Taylor.
47:19You know exactly
47:19what that unit of yours is worth.
47:21Instead of letting them die
47:22in a pointless siege,
47:24how about we make a deal?
47:25The enemy commander's reply
47:26crackled over the public channel.
47:27He sounded lost
47:28and exhausted.
47:29What do you want?
47:29We want access
47:30to your city's energy nodes.
47:31In return,
47:32I'll hand over the locations
47:33of those three caches.
47:34They're packed with antibiotics
47:35and concentrated fuel,
47:37enough to squash
47:38the outbreak in your city.
47:39Plus,
47:39Star Bay gets official status
47:41as an independent district.
47:42We mind our own business,
47:43but trade when needed.
47:44My mom played a dangerous game.
47:45Those three spots
47:46did have supplies,
47:47but they were all booby trapped.
47:48But at that moment,
47:50facing total annihilation,
47:51Underground City had no choice.
47:53Deal.
47:53The commander's tone
47:54finally softened.
47:55In the sight,
47:56mom won with almost no losses
47:57and bought the cooperative
47:5810 years of legal standing.
47:59Three days after the deal,
48:01the Underground City
48:02convoy returned to Star Bay.
48:03But this time,
48:04they weren't hauling ammo.
48:05They brought precision parts
48:06and high-grade industrial alcohol.
48:08Star Bay was officially renamed
48:09the Taylor Zone.
48:10Mom met the city's liaison
48:11in the living room
48:12on the 32nd floor.
48:13She held a steaming cup of tea.
48:14The liaison stared
48:15at the fresh lettuce on the table.
48:16He swallowed.
48:18Ms. Taylor,
48:19our experts are curious
48:20about how you set this place up.
48:22How are your living standards so high
48:23when resources are so scarce?
48:25Through actuarial science,
48:26every habit gets a calorie audit.
48:28Every input has to equal output.
48:30In your world,
48:31people are dead weight.
48:32In mine,
48:32people are part of the cycle.
48:34Now everyone in the cooperative
48:35is fired up.
48:36They just have to
48:37mine the greenhouse
48:38and patrol the corridors.
48:39Mr. Clark had become
48:40the Zone's official instructor.
48:41He trained all the young
48:42and strong male members
48:43with just a calculator
48:44Mom carved us a slice of land
48:46out of these ruins.
48:47Day 70 of the extreme cold.
48:49Something worth celebrating
48:50had happened in Star Bay.
48:51Dr. Wallace,
48:52the woman Mr. Clark saved
48:52whilst on patrol
48:53after working together for weeks.
48:55The two of them developed
48:55feelings for each other.
48:56Mom decided to throw them
48:57a simple wedding.
48:58It was in the hall
48:59on the 30th floor.
49:00There was no wedding dress,
49:01no fresh flowers.
49:01Everyone showed up
49:02in their tidiest parkas,
49:03a red plastic blossom
49:04pinned to each chest.
49:05Grandma took out
49:06her most valuable treasure,
49:07a few pounds of flour
49:08and some butter.
49:09She personally baked
49:10a big and tasty cake
49:11just to stay alive
49:12in the apocalypse
49:12and still meet the one
49:13you'd spend forever with.
49:14It was a true blessing.
49:15Grandma smiled
49:15as she wiped her tears.
49:16Mom stood up front
49:17as the witness.
49:18She raised a glass
49:19of sparkling water.
49:20Here in the Taylor Cooperative,
49:21marriage means
49:22sharing every risk
49:23and living a happy life together.
49:24May your love last forever.
49:26The hall erupted in applause.
49:28That day,
49:29everyone got
49:29a tiny slice of cake.
49:31That long-lost,
49:32buttery sweetness
49:32made most people's eyes
49:33turned red.
49:34Outside,
49:35it was minus 70 degrees Celsius.
49:36Inside was the glow
49:37of the warm lights.
49:38For a moment,
49:39we almost forgot
49:40it was the apocalypse.
49:41It was the third year
49:42of the extreme cold.
49:43There was a tiny bump
49:44on the temp chart.
49:45Mom, look!
49:46I pointed to the screen.
49:47The temperature's gone up
49:47to minus 40 degrees Celsius.
49:4940 degrees Celsius.
49:50That was hell.
49:51Now it felt like
49:52the first hint of spring.
49:54Throw on a lighter parka
49:55and took Mr. Clark's recon team
49:56with me.
49:56This outside star
50:10shined under the sunlight.
50:11Life would always find a way.
50:13Mr. Clark crouched down.
50:14His rough fingers
50:15brushed the green.
50:16Miss Taylor was right.
50:17As long as we survive
50:18the coldest days,
50:19the rest is just rebuilding.
50:20I took out my camera,
50:21took a picture of
50:21the first plant
50:22after the apocalypse.
50:23That day,
50:24everyone in Star Bay
50:25rushed to the windows.
50:26When they saw us
50:27returning with that pot
50:28of sprouting grass,
50:29the whole building
50:30exploded with cheers.
50:31We didn't just survive.
50:33We caught the first spark
50:34of new life.
50:35As the temperature slowly rose,
50:36Mom tweaked the cooperative's
50:38development plan.
50:38Supplies would run out,
50:39but knowledge and productivity
50:40wouldn't.
50:41She started an apocalypse school
50:42inside the co-op.
50:43Grandma taught the women
50:44to turn scrap clothes
50:44into gear and make compos.
50:46Mr. Clark showed the men
50:46how to keep the machines running
50:48and stay alive outdoors.
50:49Dr. Wallace ran basic
50:50first aid classes
50:51and Mom personally
50:52taught the surviving kids
50:53math and logic.
50:54Why are we learning
50:55such things?
50:56A little boy
50:57clutching dry biscuit
50:58asked,
50:58It's nothing but snow
50:59outside.
51:00Will math scare off
51:00mutant wolves?
51:01Mom patted his head calmly.
51:02That won't kill wolves,
51:03but it'll tell you
51:04the odds of a pack
51:05showing up.
51:06Logic keeps you clear-headed
51:07when everyone else
51:08is losing it.
51:09Civilization isn't a skyscraper.
51:10It's how we make sense
51:10of the world in our heads.
51:12The co-op started
51:12expanding outward.
51:13Using the underground
51:14city's heavy machinery,
51:16we cleared the nearby streets
51:17and set up small settlements
51:19that could back
51:19each other up.
51:20Star Bay was no longer
51:21a fortress cut off
51:22in the world.
51:22It became a beacon
51:23that lit up
51:24the surrounding area.
51:24Mom still wrote
51:25in that old notebook
51:26every day.
51:27She was crunching numbers
51:28on food and on the future.
51:29She wanted to combine
51:30the survival tips
51:30into a set of rules
51:31to be passed down.
51:33Three more years
51:33passed in the blink of an eye.
51:35I stood on the rooftop
51:36of Star Bay.
51:36I was already 26.
51:38The temperature had gone
51:38up to minus 10 degrees Celsius.
51:39The sky was no longer
51:40that dark gray color.
51:41In the distance,
51:42the snow was melting,
51:43revealing the outline
51:43of a ruined city.
51:45Snowmobiles zipped
51:46through the streets
51:46and smoke curled
51:47from chimneys.
51:47were telling me
51:48that mankind
51:49were taking back
51:50their lands.
51:50Hazel,
51:51don't stay up there
51:51for too long.
51:52Grandma made some pork.
51:53Come have some.
51:54Mom's voice echoed
51:55in the stairwell.
51:56She still sounded calm
51:56like before.
51:57Turned around
51:57and saw Mom and Grandma
51:59at the door.
52:00Grandma had aged a lot,
52:01but she still looked energetic.
52:02Mom had a few more streaks
52:03of gray hair,
52:04yet those eyes
52:05behind her glasses
52:05still gleamed
52:06with wisdom of an actuary.
52:08Mr. Clark was downstairs
52:09training the new guards.
52:10Dr. Wallace and his daughter
52:11were in the rooftop greenhouse
52:12picking our first strawberries.
52:14Mom,
52:15you said that the apocalypse
52:16was a test of humanity.
52:17I wrapped my arms
52:18around hers.
52:18Mom,
52:19you said that the apocalypse
52:19was a test of our humanity.
52:21No,
52:21it's just one massive ledger.
52:23It erases every phony value
52:25and leaves only what's real.
52:26Blood,
52:27courage,
52:28and the urge to survive.
52:29We never save the world.
52:30We've only saved ourselves.
52:32I gave Star Bay,
52:33the building that sheltered us,
52:34for six years.
52:35One last look.
52:36In my past life,
52:36I died from the cold
52:37and betrayal.
52:38This time,
52:38I used my knowledge
52:39to build a fortress
52:40that no one could break through.
52:41No matter what the future was like,
52:43was long as we had family,
52:45as long as we had hope.
52:46Life would always,
52:47carry on.
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