The freezing wind slammed violently against the outer metal walls of the settlement.
Snow piled endlessly across the rusted rooftops while the storm outside screamed like something alive wandering through the white darkness.
Inside— the heaters burned at full power.
Old machines rattled constantly as they forced weak warmth through narrow pipes running across the crowded structure.
People gathered tightly around every source of heat they could find.
Not for comfort.
For survival.
Near one of the largest heaters, an old man stretched his trembling hands toward the fire.
The orange light reflected across his wrinkled face while frost slowly melted from his beard.
“The snow gets worse every year…” he muttered quietly.
A younger man sitting beside him laughed without humor.
“You’ve been saying that for twenty years.” The old man slowly turned toward him, irritation immediately visible in his tired eyes.
“Because it’s true.” The younger man shrugged while adjusting the thick fur around his shoulders.
“Or maybe you’re just old.” The old man’s jaw tightened.
“The world is getting closer to its end.” A large woman sitting nearby pulled a heavy blanket tighter around herself before speaking.
“The end already started long ago.” Several people near the heater glanced toward her.
She stared directly into the flames.
“Since the Eyes of Ice appeared.” The younger man sighed loudly.
“Everything is always because of the Eyes of Ice with you people.” Another voice joined from deeper inside the room.
“The scientists said this was caused by ancient climate collapse.” The old man spat onto the floor beside his boots.
“Scientists?” He gave a dry laugh.
“And where did their science lead us?” Nobody answered immediately.
Only the sound of the storm outside filled the silence for a few seconds.
Then the large woman spoke again.
“My grandfather said entire cities disappeared overnight.” The younger man rolled his eyes.
“And my grandfather said fish used to fly.” Several people chuckled weakly.
But the old man did not smile.
“They existed.” His voice was quieter now.
“People born with ice inside them.” The younger man looked back at him.
“You’ve never seen one.” The old man stared at the fire silently for a moment before answering.
“No.” Then slowly— “But I’ve seen what fear looks like in the eyes of people who did.” — Elsewhere inside the settlement, several children sat gathered around an elderly woman wrapped in layered blankets.
The old woman smiled faintly while the children stared at her expectantly.
One small boy finally asked, “Grandma… is it true the sun used to feel warm?” The woman’s expression softened with sadness.
“That’s what people used to say.” A little girl tilted her head.
“And grass… was that real too?” The old woman laughed quietly.
“Yes.” The children looked unconvinced immediately.
The woman continued softly, “There were trees too.” Several children blinked.
“Real trees?” The woman nodded.
“And some of them grew fruits.” The children stared at her in disbelief.
Then she added with a small smile, “And there were animals shaped like the fruits.” The room immediately exploded with confusion.
“What?!” “That’s impossible!” One child pointed accusingly.
“You’re lying!” The old woman laughed harder this time.
“I swear it’s true.” Another child frowned suspiciously.
“Animals don’t grow on trees.” “They did before the ice,” the woman replied calmly.
The children looked at one another uncertainly.
One little boy whispered quietly, “The old world sounds fake.” The woman’s smile faded slightly at those words.
For a moment, she simply looked toward the storm-covered walls around them.
Then she whispered softly, “Sometimes… I think it does too.” — Inside a cramped little shop farther down the settlement corridor, voices suddenly rose louder.
A thin man slammed both hands against a counter.
“I’m telling you!” “They really exist!” The man standing across from him burst into laughter.
“Children born with magical powers?” “How old are you exactly?” The thin man leaned forward angrily.
“There are soldiers hunting them!” “I heard it myself!” A young man sitting nearby slowly stirred his bowl of soup.
“Even if they exist…” He glanced upward lazily.
“What do they have to do with the ice?” The thin man lowered his voice dramatically.
“They say the Eyes of Ice caused the frozen age itself.” For one second— silence.
Then the shop exploded with laughter.
“So one child froze the planet?” “Incredible.” Another man snorted into his soup.
“Maybe my cat controls the oceans too.” The thin man looked furious.
“You idiots won’t laugh when you see one yourselves.” But nobody took him seriously anymore.
Outside— the storm continued burying the world beneath endless snow.