Chapter 16 The Cold Edges Of Hope

• 16 The Cold Edges of Hope
• Lucy stood by the window, watching the snow continue its relentless descent over the city of Talawan. The once vibrant streets had turned into a world of muted colors—gray, white, and the faintest trace of orange in the early evening sky. The snow fell in endless layers, like the world was slowly being buried beneath its weight. She closed the window, the cold creeping into her bones despite the thick insulation of the house.
• Outside, the government’s work continued. They’d begun to clear streets more regularly, to spread salt and sand, making the paths safer for anyone still brave enough to venture out. Lucy had stopped looking for people outside of her property. The village she once knew—now reduced to the memories of what it had been before the Freeze—was fading further into the background of her mind.