And on this occasion, snow equalled Armageddon- Snowmageddon some called it! . Even though it snowed for three weeks – a mere seven days would have been enough to bring the country to its knees.
Of course, there were survivors. The fighters. The resourceful. The determined. The lucky. The organised. The ruthless. The selfish.
The strong.
Epilogue
Doris Ekins, the staff nurse working at the hospital in Southampton, survived.
After the shock of losing the patients in her care, she galvanised the remainder of the staff and patients in the hospital. Doris organised, encouraged and even bullied people into making an attempt to keep warm and fed. She utilised resources in the hospital kitchen to feed people – it was generally cold food but sufficient to sustain life. Doris buoyed morale and inspired patients and staff alike to keep going. Unsurprisingly, many of her new charges did not make it, but many did. After three weeks, they were cold, weak and hungry. But they were alive - thanks to Doris.
Graham Harman, police officer, and Keith Lomax, fire fighter, didn’t survive.
Like almost all personnel in the three rescue services, Graham and Keith were lost in the course of performing their duty. Selfless and courageous, these public servants were caught up in the disaster and gave their lives for others. They would be hard to replace.
Sir Ian James MP survived.
He carried the staff and household in Downing Street through the crisis, using his ex-military training to cajole people into survival. Of course, he also had benefits which many didn’t. The resources stored in Downing Street for crises allowed him to maintain morale and hope. The newly elected Prime Minister had crumbled soon after he realised that his family had been lost in the snow. It clearly did not occur to him that every other person in the bowels of Downing Street had also lost loved ones. Guilt and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness had broken his spirit. He was not the man to lead the nation to recovery and it was probably for the best that he had died. Sir Ian James would be the man to drive the salvage operation to come.
Eric Faulkner didn’t survive.
Millions of people had been trapped on the roads. Wholly inadequate anti-snow measures and horrendous, unprecedented conditions entombed motorists and passengers alike – on the road, on railways and at sea. It was a ‘fait accomplis’ within the first twenty four hours.
George Brayne survived.
After young Chris Davies had disappeared into the snow to search for his family, George had lapsed into a depression fuelled by guilt and self-pity. He was distraught over the loss of Chris. The boy had obviously seen through George’s ruse concerning the bogus injury to his ankle. He clearly felt betrayed by George and had taken the rescue attempt into his own hands. It was impossible to blame the boy – however, George held himself totally responsible and was consumed with shame.
Nevertheless, after a couple of days, even though Chris didn’t return, George fell back into his old routine. He had supplies and fuel to last months and he was one of the more fortunate householders whose roof didn’t collapse. It was an old thatched roof, only recently strengthened, and with new thatch. It survived the snow, as George did. Whether or not he would survive the thaw was another question.
Naomi Old didn’t survive.
A teacher protecting the children for whom she was reluctantly responsible. However, there wasn’t a thought for herself - only concern for her young charges. Thousands of teachers found themselves in the impossible situation of being unable to abandon the children in their care in order to search out their own families. This was a clear demonstration of a wonderfully selfless, but ultimately futile, sacrifice.
Josh and Josie Drover survived.
Their extensive preparation and planning paid off. They had stored enough logs in the garage attached to the side of the house, and their freezer contained enough food to last months. They confined themselves to a downstairs room, which became their living, cooking and sleeping area. It all smelled rather like a woodland campsite – smoky and a bit murky – but they adapted well to the conditions through necessity. Even though their roof had partially caved in, Josh saw the whole episode as a sort of a challenge, which had to be overcome. And in the end, they bested the weather and were still functioning when the sun came out – although they didn’t know it for a while because of the depth of the snow. Like many others in their situation – and there were quite a few – the greatest challenge was yet to come. The adventure was only really beginning.
Tamsin Urquart didn’t survive.
Living alone was almost a mandatory death sentence. With no one to support or advise, it was terribly difficult to cope with the unknown. The frail and elderly suffered beyond compare. Most died where they sat or lay, waiting for their carer to appear. Others, like Tamsin, ventured into the snow without the knowledge or proper respect for its lethal dangers.
Jeff and Lyndsey Hyne survived.
As with Josh and Josie, the Hynes adapted their situation to meet the circumstances. They were pro-active and positive. They made quick decisions and took courageous action, using everything at their disposal to aid their survival. They made some mistakes, but overall showed remarkable fortitude in near-impossible circumstances. In some ways, they were fortunate to be on their own – future investigations would show that pairs of individuals fared better, on balance, than in groups.
Helga Inkerwicz didn’t survive.
Helga died because she, also, was utterly alone.
Patric and Joanie Silver survived.
After their appalling experience on the campsite in Brighton, they sheltered in a house nearby for several days, but eventually ran short of the means to carry on. They needed an alternative – but alternatives were scarce. There had been two weeks of continuous snow, and all viable shelter had either been taken or was submerged. Patric concluded that they would be forced to seek help. But, where to get it? The only viable source of protection appeared to be one of the supermarkets which were being run as co-operatives. They were violent, he knew by harsh experience, but what other possibility presented itself?
They avoided the Sainsbury which spawned the attack on the campsite, and travelled farther afield. It took them all day, but eventually they found a Tesco on the edge of town, built on a retail park. They approached cautiously, but were intercepted about fifty metres from the entrance. Four men, armed, stopped and questioned their intent. Patric explained their circumstances and after a short delay, the couple were escorted into the store.
After doffing their outer clothing, they were shown into a side office where five people, four men and a woman, sat behind a desk. The ensuing thirty minutes were harrowing. The committee explained that every waif and stray that came within reach of the supermarket were subject to a summary interrogation. The country was in a state of disarray and resources were limited, so it was fast becoming the survival of the most ruthless. The explained that their co-operative was selective and only people who could contribute in a new post-snow society were admitted. The committee who made the decisions, although unelected, sat in judgement of all applicants. The successful remained and were required to abide by the essentially draconian system running in the co-operative. The unsuccessful hopefuls were cast back out into an icy car park.
Patric and Joanie were shocked but managed to hide their alarm. They fielded questions about their background, former life and qualifications. The board were impressed by Patrics’ police experience and his knowledge of the law. This understanding would be useful in any post-snow society. However, when it came to Joanie, they were less enthralled. She had been a mere mother and housewife, who had trained as a sports masseuse. The woman was not overly impressed with her qualifications but eventually, after some discussion, it was decided that her medical knowledge might be useful in the future.
So, Patric and Joanie were admitted to the collective. However, right of entry was a double-edged sword. The conditions inside the supermarket were indeed auster
e and punishments for infractions of the many rules and regulations were harsh and immediate. They were allocated bedding and a sleeping area, and quickly introduced themselves to the other ‘inmates’ – as Joanie called them. Food was served with strict rationing, and duties were allocated on a daily work sheet. Everybody contributed to the welfare of the group, but nobody was really happy or secure. Most ‘inmates’ had relatives in the outside world, but attempts to rescue them were forbidden. No one leaving was allowed to return. Unrest bubbled under the surface, but nobody did anything to prejudice his or her place in the co-operative. It was a probable death sentence to venture outside.
So, Patric and Joanie played the game, kept their heads down, and as a result survived until the snow stopped falling. The situation changed dramatically when the sun came out!
Victoria Walker, the postal worker, didn’t survive.
She was just unlucky. Like many others just doing their jobs that first morning, she fell foul of the weather. It was nobody’s fault, but nobody noticed or even had the time to care.
Mike Scaiffe and his family survived.
The secret of their success was family and the mutual support it provided. Of course, Mike organised and ran the house with a military precision, without which they would have all perished. Food, fuel and water were not really an issue, as the pub had plentiful stocks of all three. Mike kept everyone occupied and entertained, which helped to keep morale high. He also realised that the roof was a weak point, and managed to ensure that it remained intact. It was a classic success story and was proof that survival in atrocious conditions was possible, if the correct approach was quickly and efficiently adopted.
Quincey Roberts didn’t survive.
Quincey, like many media professionals, remained at his desk in order to try to source and broadcast information to the masses. However, the snowfall was just too heavy, and the failure of the electricity supply and communication masts soon negated all of his efforts. By then it was too late to get to safety.
The Royal Family survived.
This was mainly because they had been safely ensconced in Sandringham for the Christmas holidays when the snow started. In addition, a large household staff and police presence, copious supplies of food and fuel, and a family used to self-discipline contributed enormously. It would be essential to the stability of the country for the Head of State to be firmly in place when recovery began. It would give everyone a point of focus, and the continuity was crucial. Strong leadership would be critical to Britain’s ability to make progress in a very uncertain future.
Pardeep Aluwahlia didn’t survive.
His luck ran out after being trapped on a train. He ran into ruthless and utterly selfish individuals who had no compassion or corporate spirit. His death was mirrored by many across the country.
Chris Davies didn’t survive.
Like many thousands of others, he succumbed to the weather whilst searching for his loved ones. Who could blame him?
Jane Kelly didn’t survive.
She died trying to be pro-active. She reluctantly agreed with Brady that sitting in a house waiting to freeze was not an option. She had been convinced that getting across the sea to safety was the only way that she would survive. Ultimately, she was wrong.
Andrew Brady survived.
The Danish trawler’s doctor eventually found a very weak pulse, after a deckhand poured some schnapps down Brady’s throat as a last resort. He was treated for acute hypothermia and exhaustion, but reached Denmark some forty eight hours after he was picked up in the North Sea.
Brady had proved himself justified when deciding to flee the UK for Europe, and he would return to his native land when conditions permitted. He had two tasks to complete.
Firstly, he had to bury his family.
Most importantly, he had a country to help rebuild.
THE END
*********
THE END………… OF THE BEGINNING …..
IF YOU ENJOYED SNOW! THEN READ
THAW!
A SEQUEL WHICH CONTINUES THE STORY FOR SURVIVAL
IN A POST APOCOLYPTIC EUROPE
FLOOD!
& PLAGUE!
Other titles by the same author:
SCAPEGOAT! CRUISE!
WHITEWASH! JET LAG!
Copyright © K C Eaton 2018 v.3
KEVIN C EATON has asserted his moral right and his right under sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
All of the locations and characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher and/or author.
THAW!
by
Ryan Clifford
the sequel to SNOW!
(and prequel to FLOOD! and PLAGUE!)
INTRODUCTION
Annually, in the United Kingdom, around November through to February, a small amount of snow will fall. Normally, it is reasonably localised and moderate. Nevertheless, every year, when this sprinkling arrives, all and sundry are taken completely by surprise and general chaos ensues. Transport links and infrastructure instantly suffer severe strain, even though the snow often quickly disappears - usually within a few days. The BAA is on record as stating that they are ‘overwhelmed’ by as little as six centimetres of snow lying at one of their airports. Flights are cancelled and travellers suffer inexcusable inconvenience and disruption.
Therefore, just imagine, what would happen if, one winter, the snow didn’t stop and melt away, but kept falling - relentlessly - for more than just a few days?
PROLOGUE
In mid-December it had started to snow in the United Kingdom.
It began innocuously enough on a Sunday evening, yet by the next day the entire landscape was beginning to become much more than a cute Christmas card scene. The Meteorological Office had issued the following statement on that afternoon:
‘Heavy snow has brought disruption to many parts of northern Britain, with road closures and flight cancellations.
Up to ten centimetres (four inches) of snow fell in some areas, and icy conditions have prompted warnings from the Met Office, as skies clear during the day.
Scores of road accidents were reported during the day, and on the M9 about two hundred vehicles have been stranded.
A third of flights in Scotland have been cancelled and some train services disrupted.
Snow fell over parts of Scotland, Wales, northern England and the Midlands early on Sunday before sweeping down towards London and East Anglia.
Church Fenton, in North Yorkshire, reported eight centimetres (three inches) of snow, contributing to more than eighty accidents on the region's roads.’
The cause was complicated and unique.
Firstly, low-pressure was moving in from the west. This was destined to meet low-pressure being squashed into the UK by a giant, blocking, high-pressure system over Germany. To make things worse, the extended period of really warm and stable weather in Iberia was keeping the low-pressure systems stationary over the UK. The final straw was the movement northwards of the Jet Stream, which had transported and trapped a massive cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland overhead Scotland. Yet another ‘blocking high’ south of Iceland was causing a squeeze.
To clarify, if a blocking high is located near to, or north of, Iceland, as it was for long periods during that December, it opened the back door to a northerly airflow plunging across the British Isles directly from the Arctic, and it is at times like these that the weather becomes exceptionally cold and wintry.
The weathermen were frantically trying to make sense of it all. This combination of complex low-pressure systems was unprecedented. As usual, no one had seen it coming until it was too late. So no
w, a Red Weather Warning had been issued for the UK – all of it. Northern Ireland and Eire might get away lightly in the short term, but the majority of the British mainland was going to suffer the ‘mother of all storms’. Moreover, it might last several days or even a week. The Environment Agency had tried to issue warnings, but as usual, scant notice was taken by UK citizens.
In the final event, the snow storm lasted for three weeks.
Twenty-one days of incessant heavy snow, which fell just about everywhere in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and eastern Eire. Nowhere was really untouched by the snow and even outlying islands like the IOW, IOM, Orkneys and Shetlands suffered horrendously.
As usual, due to mainly parochial reasons the rest of Europe and the world in general took a while to fully grasp just what was happening in the UK.
Snow! The Series [Books 1-4] Page 42