The Freeze

The Freeze 1/2

The storm that hit that forgotten corner of Antarctica was terrible. The wind gusts were so strong that no one had ever experienced anything like it. The wind carried with it tons of snow, through which you couldn't see a step. It was fortunate that something like this took place in regions where there is hardly anyone, and not in densely populated places. All the more so because it happened on a polar night, where there was only one inhabited station for miles around.

This research station protected two men and two women from the raging elements. The Warden, who was in charge of the expedition, his wife, who helped him with everything, the Technician, who supervised the smooth running of the project, and the biologist, who was impatiently waiting for the discoveries hiding under the thick layer of ice.

The storm had taken its toll. One of the many lightning strikes caused a fire that spread rapidly. Although it was extinguished after strenuous efforts, its effects were severe, severing communication with the rest of the world and affecting much of the base. But the fire wasn't the only one to take its toll. It wasn't long before the wind itself had its say. It bit into the entire structure, eventually destroying the generator and drowning the station in darkness. Moreover, it made repairs impossible until the elements were exhausted and the weather calmed down. Only then was it possible to reveal the damage.

The electricity was not turned on until several long hours later. Soon afterwards the heating and water came on, but in other respects things were not going well. Some systems were destroyed, making it impossible to continue the research. Some small things also stopped working, for example, it was no longer possible to open the entrance to the station from the outside. But the worst blow was the destruction of the radio. Four local residents were cut off from the world.

It was only a matter of time before they realised how serious their situation was. With no connection to the world, it would be weeks at least before anyone realized they might have a problem. But during the polar night, the situation was even worse. There is no one in the general area who can travel to help, so it is likely that the closest help will come when the polar day begins and a new team replaces the local researchers. That means four months from now.

Normally, a stay this long would be uncomfortable but sustainable, except that the fire raging here has destroyed most of the food supplies. Soon they figured they couldn't make do with what was left. Even if they introduced the lowest possible rations, it would last no more than three months. They'd have to starve for a month. It was simply impossible to keep them all alive.

At first, they pinned their hopes on repairing the radio. Perhaps they would call for help, perhaps someone would send help sooner, perhaps they would find another way. But the repair of the radio was not going well and the atmosphere inside the station was quickly darkening, with the technician being the biggest pessimist. He didn't see a way to re-establish communication and was under no illusions that anyone would come to their aid. He began to think differently. He tried to figure out how to save himself if no one came.

He soon came up with a solution. A solution that was absolutely horrifying, and he presented this solution when they all gathered around the table just before bedtime. "There's not enough food for the four of us here. But if it's just the three of us, we'll last. But we must do it now. One of us has to die. The sooner the better. I suggest we draw straws."

Those few sentences could spark an argument of unbelievable proportions. The idea of murdering one of the crew members was dismissed during it, though everyone knew it might be the solution, maybe even the only solution.