CHAPTER THREE

I arrived at Evergreen Home and Hardware shortly after leaving my house. It was one of the biggest stores in the area, selling almost everything I needed for emergencies, repairs, and household use. I had visited the place several times before, but today was different. I was not here to buy a few things and return home. I needed enough supplies to give myself a fighting chance when the world turned into a frozen nightmare.

I parked my car near the entrance, grabbed my shopping list, and hurried inside.

The store was already busy. People were walking through the aisles with shopping baskets, some comparing prices while others argued over which products offered the best value. A few workers were arranging items on the shelves, and a woman near the entrance was asking an employee where she could find batteries.

Everything looked normal.

That was the frightening part.

Nobody knew what was coming. Nobody understood that in less than two days, the ordinary lives they were living would become a distant memory. Some of them would lose their homes, others would lose their families, and many would never live long enough to understand what had happened to the world.

I tightened my grip on my list and headed toward the first aisle.

I started with thick blankets, thermal sleeping bags, winter gloves, wool socks, and heavy coats. I did not waste time comparing every brand or looking for the cheapest option. I checked the quality, selected what looked durable, and placed the items into my cart.

One cart quickly became two.

By the time I reached the section containing flashlights and batteries, I had already filled both carts with supplies. I added rechargeable lamps, portable power banks, a battery-powered radio, waterproof storage containers, duct tape, strong ropes, basic tools, plastic sheeting, and weather stripping for the doors and windows.

I also picked up first-aid kits, antiseptic, bandages, thermometers, disposable gloves, masks, soap, disinfectant, and other emergency necessities. I knew I could not predict every illness or injury I might face, but I refused to enter the apocalypse without the basics.

When I reached the heating section, I spent more time checking the available options. I needed equipment that could provide warmth without putting me at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or starting a fire. I selected a suitable portable heating option and checked its instructions before adding it to my growing collection.

I also purchased insulating materials that could help me seal gaps around the windows and doors. My house was not a specially designed survival shelter, but I could make improvements before the temperature began to fall.

I was examining a shelf of emergency equipment when a man approached me.

Excuse me, miss. Are you buying all of these things?

I looked up and saw a store employee standing beside my carts. He appeared to be in his early forties, with a name tag attached to his shirt. His eyes moved from the supplies to the shopping list in my hand.

Yes, I replied, turning back to the shelf.

He glanced at the two carts again before looking at me with concern.

Is everything alright? You have quite a lot of items here. Are you preparing for a large family or something?

I stopped moving.

For a moment, I considered giving him a simple answer and continuing with my shopping. I could have told him I was preparing for a trip or that I wanted to renovate my house. Those explanations would have been easier than telling a complete stranger that the world was about to freeze.

But I was tired of pretending that everything was normal.

No, I answered.

His eyebrows rose. No?

No. Everything is not alright, and that is why I am buying these things.

I turned toward him fully, trying to decide how much I should tell him.

In less than two days, the world will freeze, I said. The temperature will drop so badly that people will struggle to survive outside. The electricity will become unreliable, shops will run out of essential goods, and people will start fighting over food and other supplies. If you have a family, you need to prepare now.

The employee stared at me.

For a few seconds, neither of us said anything. Then he let out a short laugh.

Are you serious?

I nodded.

Completely serious.

He looked at the items in my carts again, then shook his head as though he had just discovered something amusing.

Miss, I think you have been watching too many disaster movies. The weather is fine outside. Look at the sun. People are going to work, children are going to school, and life is going on as usual. Why would the entire world suddenly freeze?

Because it is going to happen! I replied.

My voice rose before I could control it. Several shoppers turned in our direction, and I realized that I was attracting attention, but I no longer cared.

I know how this sounds, but I am telling you the truth. You should buy supplies for yourself and your family while you still can. Do not wait until the shops are empty. Do not wait until the roads are covered in ice and you cannot get anywhere. Please, just listen to me!

The man shook his head again.

I am sorry, but I cannot take this seriously.

He walked away, still smiling to himself.

I watched him leave, frustration building inside me. I wanted to grab him by the arm and force him to understand, but I knew that would accomplish nothing. I could not waste my precious time arguing with someone who had already decided I was crazy.

Instead, I turned toward the other shoppers.

Please, everyone, can I have your attention for a moment?

A few people glanced at me while others continued shopping. I took a deep breath and raised my voice.

I know this sounds strange, but I need you to listen to me. Something terrible is about to happen. In less than two days, the world will be hit by an extreme freezing disaster. You need to prepare food, water, warm clothing, medicine, and everything you might need to survive without electricity or easy access to shops.

A man holding a basket laughed.

And how exactly do you know this?

I swallowed, struggling to find an answer that would make sense to him. I could hardly tell these people that I had already died once and returned to a time before the disaster.

I just know, I replied. Please do not ignore this warning simply because it sounds unbelievable. Buy what you can afford. Fill your water containers. Get enough food to last for a while. Check your heating equipment and make sure your family has warm clothes. You do not have to believe everything I say, but at least take some precautions.

A woman standing near the shelves exchanged an amused look with her friend.

Someone should call her family, she whispered.

Her friend laughed.

Another shopper shook his head and continued walking. A young man even raised his phone as if he wanted to record me. I felt my cheeks grow hot, but I forced myself to keep talking.

You people are laughing now, but you will remember what I said when it is too late! I shouted. Nobody will survive this if they are not prepared! You think you can run to a store when the cold begins, but what will happen when the roads are frozen and every shop is empty? What will you do when there is no electricity and your house becomes too cold to sleep in?

My voice echoed through the aisle.

For a moment, the laughter stopped. A few shoppers looked at me more carefully, perhaps noticing that I was not joking. Others seemed uncomfortable with the seriousness in my expression.

An older woman approached me, holding a small basket.

Are you really certain this will happen? she asked quietly.

I looked at her and nodded.

I am certain that you should prepare for the worst. If nothing happens, you will still have food and emergency supplies. But if I am right, you may be glad you listened.

She studied my face before glancing at the shelves.

After a moment, she turned toward the employee at the end of the aisle and asked where she could find insulated blankets and emergency lighting. A younger man who had been listening nearby began filling his basket with batteries and other necessities. Another woman picked up several water containers and hurried toward the checkout.

They were only a few people, but at least someone was listening.

I wished I could convince everyone, but I knew I could not force them to believe me. I had warned them. Whatever happened after this was their decision.

I returned to my shopping and finished collecting the items I needed. At the checkout, I nearly winced when I saw the total, but I paid without arguing. Money would be useless if I died because I had been too afraid to spend it on survival.

The employees helped me move everything into my car. I arranged the supplies as carefully as I could, making sure the heavier items were secured before closing the trunk.

I had no intention of returning home yet.

My next stop was FreshMart Superstore, where I planned to purchase food and drinking water. I had already written down the items I needed, and I knew that buying them in bulk would save time.

The drive took longer than I expected because of the traffic. I kept glancing at the clock, reminding myself that every minute mattered. By the time I arrived, I was already thinking about how I would organize everything when I returned home.

I parked, grabbed my shopping list, and entered the store.

The smell of fresh bread greeted me, and I could hear people chatting as they moved between the aisles. A worker was restocking bottled drinks while a family stood near the fruit section, debating what to buy for dinner.

I pushed a cart toward the food aisles and began filling it.

Rice came first, followed by beans, pasta, flour, oats, canned fish, canned meat, powdered milk, cooking oil, salt, sugar, and other foods that could be stored for a long time. I selected canned vegetables, biscuits, nuts, dried fruit, instant meals, and snacks that would provide energy when cooking became difficult.

I bought bottled water and several large containers that I could fill and seal at home. I also picked up water purification tablets and a portable filter. I knew that storing drinking water was important, but I did not want to depend entirely on the supplies I could carry today.

My first cart filled up quickly, so I collected another.

As I worked, I kept warning the people around me. Whenever someone stopped nearby, I explained that an extreme cold disaster was coming and encouraged them to prepare. Some people ignored me, while others smiled politely and moved away.

One man told me that if the world was going to freeze, I should spend less time talking and more time buying food.

I looked at him in disbelief.

That is exactly what I am doing, I replied, placing another bag of rice into my cart. I am trying to help you do the same thing.

He laughed and walked away.

I shook my head and continued shopping. There was no point wasting my breath on people who preferred to believe that nothing bad could ever happen to them.

However, I soon noticed something that made me uncomfortable.

A man was standing near the end of the aisle, watching me.

At first, I thought he was simply waiting for someone. He was tall, dressed in dark trousers and a plain shirt, and he held a small basket containing only a few items. But when I moved toward the canned food section, I noticed that he was still looking in my direction.

I turned into another aisle, pretending to compare two products.

When I glanced back, he had moved closer.

My fingers tightened around the handle of the cart.

Was he listening to everything I had been saying?

I studied him briefly, hoping to understand what he wanted, but his expression gave nothing away. He did not approach me or ask any questions. He simply watched for a moment before turning his attention toward the shelves.

Perhaps I was being paranoid. After everything I had experienced in my previous life, it was difficult to know when to trust my instincts and when to ignore them.

I had too much to do to become distracted by a stranger.

I turned back to my shopping and finished collecting the remaining items. I bought some fresh vegetables, fruit, eggs, bread, and other perishables that I could use immediately before the situation became worse. I also collected a few household necessities I had forgotten to include on my original list.

At the checkout, I paid for everything and arranged for the heavier purchases to be loaded into my car. By the time I finished, I was exhausted, but the sight of my supplies gave me a small sense of relief.

It was not enough for a lifetime, and it was certainly not enough to make me invincible. Still, it was a beginning.

I drove home carefully, refusing to let myself become distracted by fear. Once I reached the house, I parked as close to the entrance as possible and began carrying the supplies inside.

It took several trips to bring everything in. My arms ached, and sweat gathered along my forehead despite the cool air, but I kept going until the last bag was inside.

Then I locked the front door.

For a moment, I stood in the living room and looked at the piles of supplies scattered around me. I had bought more than I would normally purchase in several months, and there was barely enough room to walk between the bags and boxes.

But I could not leave everything lying around.

I needed to turn this house into a place where I could survive the coming apocalypse.

I started with the food that needed refrigeration. I unpacked the eggs, vegetables, fruit, and other perishables, placing them carefully in the refrigerator. I checked the temperature settings and made sure the door sealed properly. The food would not last forever if the electricity failed, so I needed to plan how I would use it first.

Next, I carried the canned goods and dry food into the kitchen and arranged them on shelves. I kept similar items together so I could find them quickly. The rice and beans went into sturdy containers, while the canned food was stacked neatly where I could reach it without moving everything else.

I stored the drinking water in a clean area away from direct sunlight and made space for the additional containers I would fill later. I placed the medical supplies in a separate box and kept the flashlights, batteries, radio, and power banks somewhere easy to reach.

I knew that simply buying supplies was not enough. I had to organize them in a way that would make sense if I was frightened, exhausted, or forced to move around the house in darkness.

After arranging the food, I began checking the windows and doors. I examined the frames for gaps and made a mental note of the areas that needed extra sealing. I planned to reinforce the most vulnerable points and prepare one room as the main survival space, where I could keep the warmest bedding, essential supplies, and emergency equipment together.

I was still moving a box of supplies away from the entrance when I heard a sound that made me stop.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I turned toward the front door.

For a few seconds, I did not move. I had not told anyone I would be home, and I was not expecting a visitor so soon.

Then the knocking came again, louder this time.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

I slowly straightened, my heart beginning to pound as I stared at the door.

Who could be here?

I walked toward it cautiously, stopping just a few steps away. My hand hovered near the lock, but I hesitated before touching it.

Then I heard another knock.

I held my breath and moved closer to the door, wondering who was standing on the other side.