White Out

By Terrence Aubrey

While snow was something that New Yorkers were used to snow in August was something else. Jake together with the small group of environmentalists that he was part of began making plans.

Jake together with the small group that he was part of equiped themselves with both four wheel drive vehicles and the stuff to start over.

Their destination, beyound heading south was undetirmined. Basically they would continue south until they found a .warmer climate in which to start over, wherever that might be

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terrence Aubrey
• Release date: Jul 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393991441

Book preview

Chapter One

When the snow began to fall!

It was late summer in New York when the snow had begun to fall and whilst sooner than usual few thought anything of it. New Yorkers were accustomed to snow during the winter months. People only took note when the snow continued falling both heavily and unabated and far sooner than was the norm.

It was now late summer and whilst snow was common in New York at that time of the year, for snow to fall in late August was not! For the first few months of snowfall people had done their best to continue to go about their daily business. That was something that had become increasingly difficult as the snow became steadily deeper. 

Jake and Andy together with their girlfriends were fairly atypical within the area of New York in which they lived; they were each of them doing well within their chosen fields and the term yuppies would have described them perfectly. Their fears and the fears of those that they had gotten to know had been steadily growing. That something weird and out of the ordinary was taking place was becoming increasingly obvious and the fact that the authorities or weather experts  had yet to come up with any plausible explanations only added to their growing concerns. Their current president’s, only opinion on the matter was that there was nothing to worry about and to grin and bear it. The President of the United States was currently in Florida and at one of the many golf courses that he owned; there was no shortage of warm sunshine down there.

There were now sixteen of them in total, or eight couples, each of them living within the same area of New York City. They shared much the same age and backgrounds, mid twenties and were each of them university graduates. The singular exception was Pedro and Pillar, both Spanish they’d moved from Spain to America and New York three years previously. They were each of them childless and by choice, there shared lack of confidence in the direction that mankind seemed to be heading in the reason. Much to their frustration; a frustration shared by many, not only did those in positions of power seem blind to the dangers ahead they saw no reason to do anything about it!

Jake, Andy and their like minded friends didn’t share that view and the current snow storms were only reinforcing their growing concerns. It seemed clear to them that while global warming had been the main issue until now the increasing instability of the Worlds weather patterns was becoming increasingly worrying. Greenhouse warming was clearly too simple a description for what was now happening and from what news they could gather it was taking place Worldwide. They’d kept abreast of weather conditions elsewhere in the World as best they could and the problems it was creating. Whilst distinct in different areas of the planet it seemed to be pretty much the same everywhere, scary! They also noted that it seemed to be confined to the northern hemisphere, weird. Jake and Andy had evolved and naturally so to become the primary decision makers amongst their small group, a group that had gradually grown and due to circumstance rather than any organised effort on their part.

Like all within their small group they’d achieved excellent degrees within their courses of choice. Law and medicine in Jake and Andy’s case and it was whilst at university that they’d each met their current girlfriends. They were pretty much atypical of each of the members within their small group and under different circumstances they would have gone on to become successful and typically comfortable middle class Americans. Jake was the taller of the two of them, though only just at six feet two inches tall and they were pretty much atypical of their age group and would have qualified as yuppies not so long ago, upwardly mobile and with  comfortable lifestyles to look forward to.

They were each of them good looking and in good shape, they’d each of them been working out at the same gym for years now. It was where they’d each met their current girlfriends and a while back, two years or more and they too were both fit and attractive.  Zena was the name of Jake’s girlfriend and Sally Andy’s. They too had been avid users of their local gym and were each of them attractive, fit and in good shape.

Via word of mouth their small group of young and increasingly worried friends and like minded people was steadily growing. Individually and collectively each of the members of their small group had come to realise that civilisation was heading into uncharted waters and seemingly rudder-less! Remaining fit and healthy was no longer a lifestyle choice but a necessity at least that was their take on the situation!  It had been the increasing unpredictability of the weather worldwide that had diverted their attention and increasingly so as the years had passed. Whilst snow was nothing out of the ordinary for New York what was unusual was that six months later it was still falling! Whilst the relevant authorities had kept the main roads clear, the minor roads were now impassable; the snow was already eight feet deep in places!

Chapter Two

Making plans

Zena and Sally were the first up the following morning, usually were and once they’d woken both Jake and Andy with coffee they ushered them to the window of their sixth floor apartment, pre-warning them as they did so. The four of them gazed below wordlessly; the snow had risen in depth overnight and dramatically so. The ground floor apartments within the block opposite were now beneath the snow level and the whereabouts of the occupants was something they could only guess at! They’d never actually met them though had seen them fleetingly from time to time; life in New York was so.

Jake and Andy shared a wordless look; this was not normal, not normal at all! Disappearing to the kitchen and closing the door they shared their growing concerns and in hushed voices.

Whilst they’d feared the worst for a while now as the effects of Green-House warming kicked in snow storms of this intensity had been the last thing they’d been expecting! They then spent the next few minutes on the phone and organised a meeting of their like minded friends. They knew that like them they’d invested in snow shoes almost as soon as the snow had started falling. While snow of this intensity had been the last thing they’d been expecting that the weather was becoming increasingly unpredictable they’d realised a while back and it had proven to be a good move! Not only had the city sold out of what they had, no new stocks would be arriving anytime soon! That was equally true across the board; no replacement stocks of anything would be arriving anytime soon, though that was something they were yet to learn of!

Jake and Andy had, lost faith in the leaders of mankind years earlier and had begun to make contingency plans way back. The election to president of their current president had only confirmed their worst fears; he had boldly stated his disbelief in climate change period, scary! Even worse not only was the snow still falling it was intensifying in strength!

Come take a look, Zena urged Jake six hours later as she rested against one of the front windows of their sixth floor apartment. He did and Andy and Sally quickly joined them. Not only were the ground floor apartments within the neighbouring blocks already beneath the snow level the snow was if anything falling ever more intensely, much more! How much deeper could the snow become?

"The four of them said nothing as they gathered around the widows to gaze below, what was there to say, the snow was now easily twelve feet deep and showing no signs of abating, worrying, but what to do?

Chapter Three

A new reality

This is not normal for this time of year and becoming serious, Andy said in his usual laid back and understated style, and worse, the authorities seem to be doing next to nothing about it, at least in this area. We should start making moves, consider moving south, he said. None of the others disagreed with him and despite their shared feelings of disappointment. They’d collectively chosen to make New York their home, loved the vibrant 24/7 style of life it enjoyed.

The girls were in a thoughtful mood as they gathered what maps they had; were they overreacting; it was only snow after all!  Nevertheless the four of them began poring through the maps of America that they had. Andy tried the phone; it was still functioning and began to call the others within their small group.

Their small group was no longer so small, it had grown in number. A shared lack of confidence within their current President was only one of the common factors that united them and they now numbered twenty. While most were like minded couples there were two younger girls amongst them, Emily and Rachel their names. It had been the girls that had pressured the guys to include them and for a reason. Given that they were that much younger at eighteen and slim and attractive, it would keep both her and the other girls on their toes! That they could compete they felt sure of, they were each of them still slim and super fit.

Within an hour, cold and snow covered their friends arrived and were soon shaking the snow from their coats and heading up the stairway to Jake and Andy’s shared apartment and at Peter’s insistence. The local electrical supply was now under unusual pressure was no longer dependable and becoming stuck within a lift shaft was the last thing they needed right now! Peter knew about such things, he was the only one amongst them that worked for the local authorities.

Whilst the lounge of Andy and Jake’s shared apartment was sizable there were quite a few of them. They now numbered twenty two in total.

With the exception of Emily and Rachael, each of them still only eighteen they shared both an age and a lack of confidence in the authorities in general. It was a lack of confidence that the current situation was only reinforcing. The snow had now been falling for close to twenty four hours and they were yet to see a soul, not even the cops that normally patrolled this area of New York!

The fact was the authorities had been as taken by surprise as much as everyone else, the meteorologists included. Yes they’d been advised that snow storms were heading New York’s way, but nothing of this magnitude. That heads would role was certain but that was of little comfort to anybody!

The overriding subject of the meeting was unlike any they’d so far held. Rather than focussing upon how to save the planet it had narrowed to how to save them-selves! Yes the situation already felt that serious, it was a fear that only increased when Jake turned on the TV, there was nothing, not even a temporarily out of service notice! It affected each of them and deeply so and young Rachael and Emily even more so and Zena and Sally were soon comforting them. Extreme weather conditions had been steadily worsening for years now yet this was the first time to their knowledge that there had been no reassuring notice that normal service would be resumed as soon as possible being broadcasted! While Rachel and Emily had attended a few of the meetings that Jake and Andy frequently hosted it had been from curiosity, rather than a shared belief. They’d been hearing much the same predictions of doom and gloom for much of their short lives and had become used to it. Only now were they beginning to wonder whether this was something more than the usual snow storms that New York suffered most winters.

While their little group of what were now affectively survivalists had been getting together for a while now, the worst case scenario had until now felt like something for the future. It no longer did, whilst they’d often discussed all manner of worse case scenarios, but snow had never figured within their reckoning! No until now snow was a fact of life every winter in New York, but not snow of this magnitude! Jake and Andy between them realised that the meeting was going nowhere fast and was in danger of fast becoming a wake for what they’d considered the way of life, what  they’d become accustomed to!

Whilst they might have been that much more aware than many of the dangers that so called civilisation was creating for itself, it was something they’d presumed lay some ways in the distant future! That this might well be it had come as something as a shock for each of them, but what to do?

It was Peter that rescued them from the feelings of shared depression they were fast succumbing too. Peter, one of the more recent members of their group worked in the department of works and highways and knew that two of their four wheel drive gritting Trucks were about to be pensioned off and a couple of their older Humvee’s also. Whilst they’d now been sharing their fears for years it had become increasingly clear that it was now time to act. The availability of the strong and all terrain vehicles made the decision for them and Peter assured them that despite their age the vehicles had been well maintained.

Things speeded up from that point on and everyone moved into Jake’s apartment, easily the biggest amongst them with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was also well above the ever rising snow level being on the sixth floor. They could see that the snow was now fast approaching the window level of the second floor apartments in the block opposite them and still rising!

The move changed everything; yes they’d been sharing their growing concerns for an age now, but it suddenly seemed more immediate and real! Peter had access to warehouse space on the edge of the city and the decision was made. They’d each of them been withdrawing their money from a variety of banks for a while now and pooled it was a not inconsiderable sum of money. They had between begun drawing up lists of what they’d need a in a worst case scenario a while back, it was a sizable list. Heading south was they’d realised a while back the logical thing to do and while the availability of the trucks and Humvee’s was a lucky break they’d need more stuff to set themselves up where ever they ended up, much more!

It was a couple of weeks before they felt confident that they’d bought the necessities of survival, they were collectively thinking long term. Farming stuff was near the top of the lists they’d prepared though there was far more, building stuff and the like. They’d drawn up lists of who would get what and it was sizable. Building tools, farming tools and sacks of grains and Pulses they bought in bulk and they were constantly adding more. The act of doing so was sobering in the extreme; it was like they were planning for forever, was it really that bad, or were they overreacting? The consensus was to go for it and they devoted the rest of that day to compiling various lists of the stuff for effectively starting over and from nothing, though where? Again they had no fixed ideas beyond heading south, their attitude was that by heading south they’d eventually escape the snow, wouldn’t they? The availability of the two trucks and the Humvee’s had been a lucky break. Without them they would have been heading south with little more than hope, it was a lucky break that none of them took for granted! That once they set off they’d be on their own was clear to each of them and whether they sank or swam would be totally down to the choices and decisions they now made. It was a sobering realisation for all. Even the usually happy go lucky Rachel and Emily were affected. The gravity of the situation they were now facing began to hit home as they tried to find functioning TV channels further south. No they were not overreacting; they couldn’t find any functioning TV channels at all down there, what the fuck, surely it wasn’t snowing down in the Deep South, was it? Jake began to wonder whether the intense cold and snowfall was unique to America or Worldwide. They had no way of knowing and fending for themselves was taking up whatever brain space they currently had.

Sally distracted them; she was again stood next to one of the windows and gazing down to the street six storeys below them. There were neither people nor traffic in sight, just snow! Whilst the lower floors of the apartment block opposite were now totally covered in snow it was now heading towards the third floor windows, crazy, how much deeper could the snow become? It was Zena that eventually broke the silence in pointing out that they should get some sleep and recharge their batteries. Her take on the situation was that they would soon be heading into the unknown. Even as those words left her mouth she realised the absurdity of them. They were born and bred Americans; this was their country and they were free to travel wherever they wished, why was she even thinking along those lines?

Chapter Four

Time to head South

If we don’t get out of here soon we might never get out, Zena pointed out. It seemed both a fair and sobering comment and despite the fact they had snow shoes! Andy and Jake between them talked the girls into delaying their departure for at least a few more days, there was stuff that they really needed to get! It was while Andy and Jake readied themselves to set off to check on their trucks and the Humvee’s that the phone began to ring. Word had gotten around and several couples they’d gotten to know had heard of their impending journey south and wanted to join them.

The shared feeling was that they’d take all that wanted to join them, take their chances with them, how could they refuse. The bottom line was that neither they, nor seemingly anyone else knew how things were going to pan out.  

Whatever lingering doubts any of them suffered from that decision evaporated the following day. Electricity crashed throughout the city. It seemed clear to just about each of them that what had begun as an inconvenience had at a stroke just gotten worse, much worse. How would people keep warm, store food, get by? Sally again summoned the others to the window, she’d spent much of the day there and they were soon crowded around her. They saw that the snow was now covering the third floor windows opposite of the apartment block opposite and a convoy of army trucks were now parked up beneath them. They then heard the announcements they were making via loud speakers. ‘Anyone wanting, or in need of food should come and collect it now and within the next ten minutes.’ Jake and Andy shared a look. Better late than never the authorities were at last taking the situation seriously! Even as they looked on they saw their neighbours gathered around the trucks.  It was neighbours some of which they’d seen yet never actually spoken too; life was so in this area of New York.

The decision was made to set off early the following morning and at day break, around five. That their departure could well affect many badly was something they were only to aware of. Hopefully by leaving early they could slip away unseen. Some amongst them George, David and Harrison in particular began to question their actions, their act of running away. The others whilst to some extent sharing their views were able to talk them round and through logic.  Governments were elected to look out for the population after all and what were they doing. From what they’d so far seen only two trucks of food and provisions had visited this area, trucks that had been stripped bare within twenty minutes! Would more be sent out, was the President now back where he should be and within the White House? Were relief operations on a massive scale now being carried out within those areas’ suffering from the incessant snow falls? They had no idea; such had been the paucity of news and or information on the part of the authorities to date.  

Unknown to them the Army had taken over day’s earlier they’d arrested the President and his entourage in Florida and had imprisoned them within the detention camp that America still possessed at Guantanamo Bay and not so far from Florida, something of an irony! Not only had the army taken over they’d also taken over the command of both the navy and the air force though only once they’d briefed the overall commanders of both. Their shared and agreed assessment was that until the snow stopped falling the situation was that serious! It was in fact far more serious than Jake Andy and the others could possibly know, though might well discover, at least to some extent once they headed south.

The snow and freezing conditions extended much further south than was normal and deeply into Mississippi and the southern states of America also. These were areas unaccustomed to such extreme of either cold weather, or snow and the affects had been devastating. The houses in such area’s had been built more to protect against the hot and humid conditions prevalent rather than the cold! Unknown to all but a few millions had already succumbed and many more were in danger. The now combined armed forces were doing all they could, but were simply overwhelmed. International news was yet another fatality of the fast deteriorating situation. With the exception of precious few all focus within the United States was now inward looking.

The fact was the abnormally intense snow storms and sub zero conditions were a worldwide phenomenon! It was perhaps for the best that Andy, Jake and the others were unaware of that fact as they readied themselves to set off. Like all of those trying to survive what was fast evolving into a new ice age they had enough to worry about! Not the least of their concerns was the fact that they didn’t know just how far south the ice and snow extended! It was clear to all of them, even the normally care free young girls that the situation was dire. Whilst many had been worried about the direction the human race seemed to be heading in for a while now, few would have thought that snow and ice could be this devastating. It was a presumption and or omission that would eventually go on to cost the lives of billions of people the World over!

Chapter Five

The journey south 

They discovered what they were up against from the moment of setting off and if it hadn’t been for the trucks even the Humvee’s would have struggled so deep was the snow. The two trucks enjoyed far more ground clearance and those following in the two Humvee’s were following religiously in their tracks. So concentrated were they that it was almost an hour before they realised that they had the roads to themselves, they’d yet to see a soul! It was three hours before they neared the outskirts of the city and the story remained the same, clearly everyone was staying right where they were. A couple of the girls suffered doubts, were they doing the right thing, but they kept that to themselves. That said they all found it kind of spooky, the New York they’d all grown up in was a busy and bustling kind of a place. That snow, albeit one hell of a lot of snow, should affect the city so was something that shocked each of them. Was man-kinds existence and survival that delicately balanced? The same was true when they eventually reached the sprawling outskirts of the city; they’d seen barely a soul. Was everyone was intending to sit it out, stay at home and await springtime and warmer weather? Independently Jake and Andy began to wonder whether they were they making a mistake, should they have stayed where they were and muddled through as best they could. Those were thoughts they each of them kept to themselves, they’d made the decision and would stick with it. Logic at least was on their side. The deep south of America must be warmer, mustn’t it? One thing was clear whichever way they looked at it, they were most certainly taking a gamble. With the exception of flights south to vacation in Florida none of them had any experience of the deep south of the United States or even the way of life in America’s Deep South for that matter. The reputation of those living down there was not so encouraging either, hard assed red necks was how most New Yorkers view of them!

That it was going to take them some time to reach their vague destination was clear to each of them almost immediately, fifteen miles an hour was currently their average speed and even that seemed risky! Nobody criticised the drivers, better safe than sorry the shared view.

It was maybe four hours later that they came across a service station and café that seemed to be open and they followed the two trucks up the gently inclining access road. None of drivers were taking any chances and they averaged five miles an hour. Unknown to them the place was only open because those that worked there were effectively stranded there and once the food ran out?

The warmth hit them once they entered the place and felt almost hot! Their bodies had already acclimatised, at least to some extent to the freezing temperatures. They all had appetites, had barely eaten for the past forty eight hours and stacked their plates up at the self service counter. Again Jake was aware of the gamble they were taking. Would the next Truck Stop be as well stocked with provisions, or the ones after? He dismissed such thoughts from his mind. For better or for worse they’d made the decision to head south and he consoled himself. Logic at least was on their side. Further south must be warmer than this mustn’t it?

Chapter Six

Getting by

Whilst those working at the truck stop wanted to know how New York was faring they wanted to know what was happening further south. It was a fair exchange but whilst they were able to share their experiences of how New York was faring, at least to some extent, those working at the Truck Stop could tell them little of how things were to the south. The few that had called in during the past days had been heading south of course!

They made the most of both the warmth and the break and eat well, even over well and at Jake and Andy’s suggestion. Whilst they hadn’t said as much the snow had removed the certainty they’d become used too. When and where they would they next find a place to eat was something they could no longer be sure of! Andy saw the sizable gas and fuel tanks once attacked up outside of the place when they set off. Would they be refilled when necessary?

That they were heading into the unknown hit Jake strongly and on every level. He contented himself with the one certainty he could grasp at. He would do his damned best to help them get through whatever was happening and was sure that the others felt much the same! Heck America’s first arrivals from Europe had no idea what they were even heading towards when they’d arrived from Europe and headed west. Looked at in that perspective their journey south was a walk in the park! What became their sadly missed ex Presidents so positive catch phrase came to mind, Yes We Can! One way or another they’d get through this! Though one thing was very clear, at the speed they were travelling it was going to take them one hell of a long time to get to where they were heading, that was for sure! Jake began trying to divide the distance they were travelling by the average speed they were travelling at, but gave up; they’d get there when they got there. That thought was quickly followed by another, what kind of reception were they likely to receive when they did get there?

Jake was snapped out from his introspective mood in a flash and by Zena, something was burning on the road up ahead and strongly so. Jake began to brake well before they drew closer and was glad he did. A gasoline carrying truck was spread across all three lanes and on fire! That it had been burning for some time seemed clear, the flames were lighting up both the night time sky and those vehicles that had pulled up before it.

Jake pulled up some distance back from the burning wreck and again both Jake and Andy were surprised by the surprisingly few vehicles stacked up in front of them. One thing was clear, for good or bad few had taken their decision to head south. Nevertheless their decision had been a good one and they’d stick with it. Logic at least was on their side. They faced a near two thousand miles drive; and logically at least it must be warmer down there!

Jake made a near instant decision, no way were they going to get past the burning gas truck anytime soon. Exercising a series of turns he backed the truck up to the central barrier. Andy saw his intentions straight away. Using the two strong trucks they’d rip out the central barrier, cross over and head south on the north heading side of the road. With the exception of two long haul trucks they’d seen next to no northbound traffic so far and didn’t expect to. Who in their right mind would head north in freezing conditions like this?

It took them the best part of two hours before they were again heading south, albeit on the wrong side of the road. Time was one of the few things they were rich in and they enjoyed some luck. Some ten miles down the road they came to a turnoff and were able to get back onto the south bound side of the road. Only their good fortune was dampened as the falling snow began to fall with greater intensity!

Including Emily and Rachel was proving to have been a good move. Being young, still teenagers they regarded the trip south as more of an adventure than an escape from the ice and snow. Nobody had any intention of dampening their spirits and for a few hours at least the others set aside the reasons for their flight south. What little traffic had been on the road seemed to have vanished when they eventually continued and visibility had reduced still further. Jake driving the lead truck told Andy via his mobile phone that he’d slow down still further and stick to ten miles an hour, Andy didn’t disagree. Only they each shared an unspoken doubt. What if they encountered nothing but the near blinding snow from here on in? Given there was little they could do about that possibility why even consider it, no they’d made the logical choice in heading south, it must be warmer down there, why question it! That said Andy did make a quick calculation, a calculation he regretted. If they maintained their current speed the trip south could take an age, weeks, even months!

Even worse the snow had been steadily intensifying as they headed south and their speed had reduced still further.

Look out for a truck stop sign Jake yelled at nobody in particular and above the din of the now howling wind. Worse, the snow was now coming at them near horizontally and at near blizzard force strength. He checked his speed, it was still barely ten miles an hour and even that felt too fast given the weather conditions! He eventually pulled over and stopped, they were getting nowhere fast. Jake used a small torch to study the map. It could have been worse, the next truck stop was only six miles ahead of them and even at their current pathetic speed they should reach it soon. The other disappointing news  on checking the map was that he saw that they’d barely covered two hundred miles! With gritted teeth Jake gingerly continued south at a snail’s pace and in full concentration mode as he did so.

Slow down, we’re really close to the slip road, Zena hollered above the din of the howling wind and Jake pulled still further to the edge of the road and briefly rubbed against the kerb side as he did so. Once their convoy had climbed slowly up the gentle incline leading to the service area things improved and they were soon bathed in artificial light. It felt almost normal, at least for brief moments.

Whats the time, Jake asked Zena? She told him close to ten. They’d taken close to six hours to cover less than two hundred miles, pathetic!

Jake try to relax Zena told him, Stressing yourself is doing neither you nor any of us any good! The worst thing was Jake knew she was right, he’d try! Andy took Jake out of earshot of the others once they were all parked up.

We need to update ourselves on the weather conditions before we go any further south, Andy said. Number one driving through this is doing none of us any good and number two we’re wasting our time, bicycles will soon be over taking us,  he added and only partly in jest! The worst thing was Jake knew he was right. The snow was again falling at blizzard strength and they faced a choice. They could either press on south, or take a break at the truck stop. Jake decided to leave the choice to the others, left them to it and headed to the men’s room. It was barely ten at night yet it felt more like three in the morning, so fiercely had he been concentrating on the road ahead. No he needed a break and guessed that the others did too despite being passengers. As he’d hoped the decision had been made by the time he rejoined them. It had taken them no time, everyone needed rest, a break from the road. Jake glanced back at their small convoy. Both the trucks and Humvee’s looked tough and up to the job ahead of them, Peter has done well.

The accommodation on offer was limited and to one log cabin, though the management assured them that it was well heated, had a log fire and that they’d provide them with plenty of pillows and duvets. Decision made they relaxed, even Jake and were soon knocking back the array of small beers in front of them. An old song by a guy called Chris Rea sprang to mind, ‘The road to Hell’ and whilst it referred to something else entirely it seemed to sum up their current situation just about perfectly!

The fact that they had little idea what they were heading towards was kind of daunting for some of them but the others reassured them. Whatever they found down there they could deal with right! This was America, their country and they had every right to travel wherever they chose. That at least was the line that Jake and Andy took and most backed them up. In truth neither Andy nor Jake were as confident as they seemed. The people from many of those areas of the deep south, or the rednecks as many from the north regarded them, were not renowned for the hospitality they offered new-comers and if anything quite the opposite.

Jake at least was happy to deal with whatever they came up against when they came to it. His focus was fully upon escaping the snow and freezing conditions that much of America was suffering and what the fuck anyway! Wasn’t the planet supposed to be suffering from global warming! What the fuck was going on, it seemed that they were m more in danger of a new ice age?

The suite (if that was the right description) was warm and adequate though kind of a squeeze for each of them. There were a lot of them after all, though nobody gave a damn and Emily and Rachael least of all. They were pleased to have stumbled upon the small group of what they regarded as survivalists and pretty much by chance. They’d met Pedro in a café they often used and the rest was history. Pedro, despite his relationship with Pillar was something of a womaniser and had found each of them attractive. Pillar was aware of that fact and not only tolerated it, but welcomed it. Whilst no iron maiden Pedro’s sex drive was at times more than she could either handle or keep up with. If young Emily and Rachel were interested in him they were welcome to share the load! At least that was her current view, though whether it was something she’d stick with was something she’d set aside at least for the moment. Like the others Pillar was only too aware of the short distance they’d covered and in what six hours? She made a quick calculation. It had taken them the best part of six hours to cover two hundred miles and had at least another eighteen hundred to do. She quickly dismissed that line of thought but it seemed clear that they could well be on the road for a while, a very long while.

Whilst warm and comfortable the cabin allotted them was a tight fit for all of them, not that any of them complained. They were all of them pleased to be off of the road and in a warm place for a while. It had at times been quite scary and to have gotten to where they now were unscathed was something they were each of them thankful for. Jake and Andy were only to aware that they’d covered little distance so far and shared a sense of disappointment. They’d hoped, maybe over optimistically that the freak and freezing conditions might be limited to the greater New York area. Clearly not, but as they continued further south it must surely ease off, at least a little, mustn’t it? While they didn’t share it with the others Andy and Jake were already making contingency plans. They were each of them disappointed to have driven two hundred miles south only to find much the same freezing conditions. Maybe things would seem better when they set off in the morning. If they did so early enough they’d hopefully cover more ground. There must be a limit as to how far south the snow and ice could reach, mustn’t there? Unknown to him the others shared that hope. Jake at least was only to aware that hope was all it was. The fact was they knew nothing of what lay before them. The arrival of the snow and freezing conditions had changed everything and any sense of certainty in particular! Zena and Sally almost regretted their decision to bully the others to include Rachel and Emily within their party as they readied themselves for sleep. They each seemed quite comfortable to strip down to their panties before the others and Zena saw just how tight and lean their young bodies were!

Chapter Seven

A minor diversion

Pedro’s thoughts could not have been any further from Jake’s. He’d always enjoyed a healthy libido and made no attempt to hide his pleasure in being alone with Emily and Rachael. Whilst still quite young they were each of them aware of that fact. They each of them considered themselves to be lucky to even be where they now were and were in the mood for some fun. Whilst pleased to have joined up with the crowd they were now with things were pretty grim. They’d each of them left their boyfriends behind in New York, had no choice and Pedro was quite a hunky guy, They’d each of them changed into shorter skirts once they’d settled into their current accommodation and were feeling flirty, though nothing more. Whilst neither of them had quite grasped their good fortune or the true gravity of the situation a