Julie was released from custody on the morning the sky turned red.She stepped out of the county detention center with a plastic bag of her belongings and no one waiting for her. The air was cold and sharp, colder than it should have been. Above her, the sky hung low and crimson, like a wound that wouldn't close.She stood on the steps for a long moment, staring at the empty parking lot. The streets beyond were quiet. Too quiet. No buses. No cars. Just the wind and the distant wail of sirens.Her phone was dead. She'd tried to charge it inside, but the power had flickered and failed twice. She'd heard the guards whispering something about evacuations, about the illness spreading, about the military setting up checkpoints on the highways. No one had come to explain anything. No one had come at all.She started walking.The house was over an hour away. By the time she reached it, her feet were blistered and her lungs burned from the cold. The streets were littered with abandoned cars an

Scarlett woke to the sound of snow against her windows.For a long moment, she didn't move. She lay in bed with the blankets pulled up to her chin, listening. The wind was still blowing, but softer now. The snow made a faint, persistent sound against the glass.She sat up slowly and looked out.The world was gone.Not the house. Not the grounds. Not the trees at the edge of the property. Those were still there, barely, their shapes softened by the layer of white that had already settled over everything. But the world beyond—the road, the neighboring houses had disappeared into the gray-white haze.It was still snowing.She reached for her phone. The screen lit up. 2:47 AM.The first night wasn't over yet.Scarlett pulled on a robe and walked downstairs. The house was warm. Her father had insisted on leaving the heat on, even though the power had been flickering for hours. The generator was ready if it failed. She'd made sure of that weeks ago.The kitchen was empty. Her father was in

Scarlett didn't sleep.By dawn, the sky was still red, but the light was wrong. The snow glowed faintly, like the earth itself was sick.She heard her father moving in his study.The door opened, and he came out wearing his heavy coat, the one he used for winter trips to the mountains. He had a bag in his hand. His face was set in that calm, determined way that meant he'd already made up his mind."What are you doing?" Scarlett asked."I'm going to check on the foundation's people."She stood up from the window. "Dad, look outside. You can't drive in this.""Then I'll walk.""You'll die."He paused, his hand on the front door. "Scarlett, I've spent forty years helping people. I'm not going to stop now because the weather's bad.""This isn't weather. This is the end."He looked at her for a long moment. "That's what you believe?""That's what I know."Her father shook his head slowly. " you know Evelyn’s told me about that Jacob guy. He’s the one who’s filled your head with all this no

The shed was colder than Julie remembered.Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe she'd just stopped feeling anything on the walk back. Her feet were numb. Her hands were stiff inside her gloves. The cold had settled into her bones and made itself at home.She pushed the door open.Celeste was on the floor, her back against the wall, her knees drawn up to her chest. She was rocking slowly, back and forth, her arms wrapped around herself. Arnold lay beside her. His eyes were open. His face was gray. He wasn't moving.Julie stood in the doorway for a long moment, looking at them. Her father. Dead. Her mother. Broken.Then she stepped inside.Celeste looked up. Her eyes were red and swollen. "Where's Cameron?""He's with Jacob."The words came out flat.Silence.Celeste stared at her for a long moment. Then something shifted in her face. Not anger. Not accusation. Just a slow, dawning understanding."He's gone, isn't he?"Julie didn't answer."My grandson's gone."Julie's legs gave out. She sank to h

Nathan woke with a mouthful of snow.He didn't know how long he'd been out. His head was pounding. His side was on fire. The cold had seeped through his clothes and settled into his bones.He pushed himself up slowly, one hand pressed against the ground. The snow was stained red around him.The dagger was still in his side.He remembered now. The old man. The trap. The blade sliding in just below his ribs. His hands around the old man's throat. And then nothing. Someone had hit him from behind.He looked around. His bag was gone. The old man was gone. The only thing left was the blood in the snow and the knife still buried in his flesh.It had started three days ago.Nathan had woken to find his apartment ransacked. The door was open. The cupboards were bare. The safe in the bedroom was open too, but the money was still inside. Untouched. Worthless now.Dana was gone.She'd taken the food. The water. The medicine. Everything that mattered. She'd left the cash and the jewelry and the d