The Cold Winter of 2032

It's so cold. I didn't recognize Kensington anymore, the small town that I had grown to love. I have not seen the light of day in years now. I had been underground with many others, and it's now 2032. The unthinkable happened, in 2029 a blast came from the sky, a flash of light, then suddenly everything went silent. I will never forget people had been talking, the talk was in six about months a catastrophe would hit earth. This was due to the dramatic climate changes over the years. There had been record numbers of: earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, and very unusual temperatures in all four seasons all over the world. Some people thought it was what we refer to as, The End of the World. People were being advised to store up things mostly: food, water, clothing, medicine, and toiletries. "Go underground, build bunkers, seek shelter before it’s too late," said News Casters and Radio Talk Show Host; I felt like I was dreaming.

One week before the unthinkable took place, people had already been advised where to go to seek shelter. However, some were still above ground and couldn't make it there; I unfortunately was one of the ones that was still above ground. However, I was prepared.

I had everything in my truck in roll away tubs, a month before the nightmare took place. Suddenly, I saw the great flash of light, and heard the biggest BOOM! I grabbed my keys and I was off like lightning.

When I went outside to run to my truck, it looked like an earthquake had turned the town upside down. Roads were nonexistent, nothing looked familiar, in a second everything was a mess. It was only for the sake of memory that I knew the direction to go in. I tried to see if I saw anyone on my way to the underground shelter, I saw no one. I didn't know if people had already gone under, or if they disappeared; I was terrified. On my way to seek shelter there was: smoke, small fires, water, trees down, and houses gone.

Finally, I reached my destination, again I saw no one. I went inside of this building that use to be a warehouse, it had been vacant for years, but had been in perfect sitting condition; until now, it looked like it was being demolished. I continued on anyway pulling my roll away tubs behind me. I banged on the door that led to the underground shelter for what seemed like five minutes. I heard someone shouting "coming, coming" finally I thought, I was relieved. A very tall, dark, handsome man opened the door and smiled at me, he said "welcome, come on in, happy you made it here."

He then led the way to what seemed like a half-mile underground to what seems to be a city. I had never seen anything like it, I didn't even know that a place like it existed. Finally, the tall dark and handsome man turned to me and said: "by the way my name is Harold, Harold Frost, I’m the City Manager of this underground town, and if you need anything or have any questions come to me." I replied, "I'm Veronica, Veronica James, and thank you." Harold escorted me to where I would be living for what turned out to be the next 3 years. For the next week every day at noon, we would have what was called a town meeting to go over rules and everyone sharing a little bit about themselves; also, how meals would be distributed, chores, and safety drills. Harold explained how more people would probably be coming over the next couple of weeks. There were delays because of the roads and fires.

People had started to arrive, some were hurt, all were hungry. There were family rooms for people with families and single rooms for singles, single people such as myself. There were common areas where people could: sit and talk, read, play games, or listen to the radio, when there was reception. Batteries had to be conserved for emergency communications. A month passed and now it was getting real, no one else had come in over a week. Harold was always trying to communicate with other City Managers with his Hi-tech technology devices, despite the power outages he managed to find out things. Harold announced that 2 thirds of the earth had been wiped out; everyone was devastated including me.

I was speechless wonder if my family had taken shelter anywhere and wonder if somehow, I might be able to find out. Harold and his Committee had thought of everything. There was a medical clinic, a dentist, counselors, teachers, a pharmacy, a greenhouse; almost everything you needed to start civilization over again. Harold was always stressing the importance of not getting pregnant if anyone was married or had a romance. This was not a suitable environment for newborns, nor was it ideal for a mother to carry a child 9 months in the environment. Harold always assured everyone that what part of government that was left would be working effortlessly to find out how safe or not safe things are up above before trying to move anyone to one central location.

As time passed on, I tried to stay healthy and exercise and not get sick. I had a 2-year supply of vitamin supplements and thank God I was not on any medication; lots of others were. From time to time there would be arguments over small petty things, but for the most part, we had a pretty civilized town of people. I think everyone was doing their best wanted to make it out of this nightmare. I started to get lonely, I tried my best not to show it, I had plenty of books and writing journals to keep me busy, or so I thought. When my vitamins and supplements started running low I knew, but could not believe I had been here almost 2 years.

I stayed in my room for 3 days without coming out and depressed. I would usually work in the clinic or kitchen, that is how you earned Green bucks to buy things, everyone had to pull their weight. I could not pull myself up this time, I had a complete meltdown.

Harold knocked on my door to ask if I was okay. I told him no, he asked me did I want to talk, I replied "yes." So, I opened the door let him in and asked if he wanted to have a seat in the chair that was against the wall in my room. We began talking and Harold assured me that he knew what I was feeling, he let me that many others there had to talk to some of the counselors and even him from time to time. He asked me was I married. I said no. I asked him was he married he said he was widowed, I let gave him my sympathy and he let me know it had been 7 years. I could tell he was lonely too, I thought I even saw a hint of a smile when I told Harold I wasn't married.

I was very attracted to Harold, but I never let on, Harold look to be about forty-five years old, but very attractive, I thought to myself I'm thirty-seven that's not too bad. Harold asked me if he could get me anything food or anything to drink because he knew I had been in my room for 3 days; I did have snacks in there. I let him know that I was starving and thirsty. He let me know that he was going to hook me up and he would return in about ten minutes. I instantly felt more hopeful and I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth and fix my hair and get a little dolled up. When he returned, I saw his eyes stretch, he let me know it seemed that I felt better, I was up and sitting in the chair. Harold had brought me some veggie stew homemade rolls and an energy smoothie. He let me know that he knew I like to eat healthily; interesting I thought. Harold asked me if I wanted to continue having talks with him from time to time or did, I want to be set up with a counselor to talk. I assured him I was fine and we could just continue to talk as needed. He smiled and let me know he would like that also.

We continued to talk twice a week, sometimes in my room, and in the common area, usually when others were not around. I opened up to Harold about my fears, I let him know I was scared, I didn't know if I would know how to live after this. Where would I live, how would I make a living, how would things look up there. He just looked at me and said "you are beautiful and I mean that inside and out." I just paused, just like that in the middle of my chatter, he caught me totally off guard. I was blushing so hard I was embarrassed. Then Harold just kissed me, and I kissed him back, just like that. We started having our breakfast and dinner together in the common area, everyone knew that we were interested in one another. As time passed, we started getting the news development and clearing was happening up above finally. Everyone began to talk in the meetings at noon daily about their fears and uncertainties regarding this new world that was coming up above.

It had been eight months since Harold and I started seeing each other and we have never done anything more than talked, kissed, and gave each other long reassuring hugs. He let me know that he was a devout Christian and I let him know that I was too. One evening Harold asked could I come to his room after dinner, he had something he wanted to give me. I hesitated to say yes at first, but something inside of me said go; so I told him I would go.

When I arrived at his room, to my surprise he had a bottle of wine, candles lit, and sounds of the ocean on his little battery-operated recorder. Harold declared his love for me and let me know he had not felt this way about anyone since his wife died. Harold asked me to marry him and I started to cry, but I said "YES!" He opened the wine and let me know he had been working on making be a band until he could get me a ring after this nightmare was over. He placed the band on my finger. I was overjoyed, I thought to myself I'm in love. For a minute I forgot about the situation at hand, we were underground still.

We continued getting more and more communication from the government over the next two months. By now everyone's location was known, and help would be on its way. Everyone would be taken to central locations above ground. It is now winter. I could not help thinking, what an odd time to go back up above with all of the uncertainty, and what would we be going back to I thought.

Just when I was totally lost in my thoughts, Harold came up and stood right along the side of me and held my hand; Harold looked into my eyes and said to me: "darling are you ready to take this journey with me, I promise to love, honor, protect, and make you happy for the rest of my life." I was star struck by Harold's words.

I didn't know what the future would hold, or what it would look like up above, but I knew one thing for sure; I was going to marry Mr. Harold Frost, and I loved him just as-much-as he loved me. So, our journey began the Cold Winter of 2032.

Letitia Reynolds