18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 474

The water chilled quickly, and before long, it had frozen solid. I kept splashing it until there was a solid 8 inches of ice, and only then did I stop. Back on solid ground, I turned my attention to icing up the other two sides of the shipping container. The entry door couldn't be iced, but it needed some special tweaking.

By the time I'd finished, it was too late to do anything else. The remaining tasks would have to wait until tomorrow. Stepping on the cold floor was like stepping on ice itself, utterly impossible to sleep on comfortably. Back at South Base, Stella had hoarded a mountain of coal using her points, and now it was the perfect time to use it. The coal didn't just burn hot, it lasted ages, and with a ventilation opening at the top, there was no fear of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Two coal stoves later, and the temperature inside the house was rising nicely. Stella had picked out some solid wooden furniture from Arcadia – tables, chairs, benches, sofas – and hauled out a couple of beds with thick mattresses, not forgetting to top them with electric blankets. Worried that Cooper might not handle the cold, I set up his dog bed on the sofa and plugged in the electric blanket.

Cooper snuggled onto it, his ears perked up in pure bliss, wagging his tail furiously in approval. With our thermal clothes and soft, warm blankets, this was the most comfortable night we'd had since entering the Arctic. Winter makes you drowsy, and we didn't wake up until almost 10 am. The cold was biting, but a hearty bowl of pork and beans had us sweating in no time.

After a satisfying meal, we got back to work. Rosie took Cooper out to scout around the snowdrifts, while Stella and Jasper measured the house and laid out wooden planks for the flooring from Arcadia. Cutting and fitting took half the day, but by afternoon, we were back at it, using insulated steel panels to divide the room from the living space, ensuring both warmth and privacy. There were endless little tasks, and it took four or five days to really make the place feel like home.

With the coal stove burning day and night, the indoor temperature always hovered above freezing. Arctic weather is dry as bone, so Stella set up a humidifier, adding everyone's favorite essential oils, and soon a refreshing mist scented the air, making the space feel tranquil and fresh. With no outsiders around, Stella even put up a makeshift bookshelf, a table lamp, and a vase.

She picked gardenias from Arcadia, their fragrance invigorating the soul. Cushions and plush toys adorned the sofa. Rosie and Cooper loved them, laughing and fighting over the toys, their joy carried away with the wind and snow. It was a small home, but it was cozy.

Stella took some photos and found an old printer from Arcadia to print out memories from over the years, hanging them in the living room with decorative string, giving it an artistic touch. Over the next few days, Cooper got used to the cold, often tempting Rosie into running laps with him. He was quick on his feet, while Rosie trudged through the deep snow, calling out, "Cooper, wait for me!"

Just as she was about to catch up, the sly dog buried himself in the snow. Worried he might suffocate, Rosie hurried over and started digging. In the midst of her digging, Cooper leapt out, tackling Rosie into the snow, and they tumbled around, laughing and playing. Stella felt a pang of envy; they were so lively and full of energy. She had grown more silent over the years, her spirit aging before her body.

Suddenly, Cooper dashed over, tugging at her pant leg, pulling her into the snowy outdoors with a bark. Amused yet helpless, Stella was dragged into the snowstorm and crouched down to build a snowman. Eventually, even Jasper joined in. They attempted to create a three-person-one-dog snow sculpture, but lacking artistic talent, it ended up as an indistinguishable mess.