Frostpunk: The Last City On Earth
Chapter 2: Getting started
Leaving London behind wasn't easy, and choosing to stay there was even more difficult. There was so much chaos in the city, and even the police and the military had trouble just keeping them under control. Jobs were closed, and the food was running out. They've already accepted the fact that this winter would dommed them all.
The whole world was suffering from the same thing as we speak. Asia has gone silent after the first few months. We tried to contact them, but we received nothing from their end. Nobody came out of their borders, and nobody dared to enter. Europe was willing to cooperate, but we haven't gotten much from them either.
We were lucky enough that the Americans were still present, but they're moving into our country by the masses. Their home had already succumbed to the winter. It was too cold to live there anymore. And most of the generators have finished construction all around the United Kingdom.
When there's so little heat and too many to share it, we decide to create a few tools that would keep us alive. One of them is the heat lamp, a personal heating device. It also acts as a light when it's dark. But that wasn't the only thing we have made.
Ever since the success of steam-powered machines becoming more and more advanced, we've made the Dreadnaughts, a massive steam locomotive. Capable of transporting people and supplies. It would be the solution to allow us to travel through the frost lands. Despite the immense effort of constructing these gigantic land ships, it bankrupted the British Empire and whatever powers it holds left.
When it was time to evacuate the city, everyone was desperate to leave. The storm was getting worst. The evacuation center became even more overcrowded, with whoever was left still breathing.
He remembered it all. How he hastily made his way out of the building to reach his convoy as it was almost ready to depart. It was his turn to leave. He steps out, and the first thing he sees is his assigned Dreadnought. Its sheer size alone looked like it could challenge a god.
He watched everyone frantically pushing each other, trying to get out of the city. Frantic screaming and shouting, civilians and police clashing against each other trying to keep order, the whole city was falling apart before his eyes.
As he continues to stare into the seemingly endless sea of people, someone suddenly grabbed his arm. He quickly turns to whoever grabbed him. It was the Commissioner. His expression was stern, "Captain, I've been calling for minutes! You need to go! This expedition is under your command now!" The commissioner said as he dragged him along, bringing him to the Dreadnought.
The roaring sounds of its engine and steam cores get louder as they get closer.
There was a line of policemen carving a path for them to cross over. "Let us go, please! We'll all die if we stay!" Pleaded a crying woman, holding her child close to her, "Stay back and stop pushing! Only passengers with boarding tickets are allowed through!" Shouted a policeman as he pushed them back with his baton.
"Get back!"
He could only watch as both sides struggle.
"You'll need to head north, follow this map, and you'll find your spot there, as well as other people waiting for you. I've already informed you that your expedition would be the biggest we can allow. Don't stop for nothing, not even if a few people lacking behind." The commissioner briefed him as they finally reached the Dreadnought.
He could still hear the screams of fear and gloom going on behind him. "You've got almost a few thousand people following you. Whatever happens, you get these people to safety." Said the commissioner.
He climbs onto the Dreadnought and looks back at the General. He could see the dread all over his face.
"This is it. I hope you will make it, and good luck! You'll be needing it!" Said the commissioner, waving one last goodbye to him. The driver blows the horn, signaling its departure from London, along with hundreds of civilian and military personnel that followed behind.
Only the rich and noble are allowed to ride inside the Dreadnought. The lower class had to walk.
He took one last look at the dying city and hundreds of thousands of people still staying behind.
And suddenly, out of all the people in the crowd, he saw someone whom he thought was dead, waving at him goodbye.
"Father?" He said.
As the Dreadnought droves further away from the city, he felt a tug on his shoulder, but no one was around him. It wasn't until he suddenly woke up, "Captain? Captain, wake up. It's time for work." The guard said as he watches him getting up from his bedroll. He looks around and calms himself.
It was just a dream.
"Bad dream, sir?"
He shakes his head, "No, guardsman. Everything's alright. You're free to go now." He said. The guard salutes and leaves the tent. He stood up from his bed and stretched a little before changing.
He stepped out of his tent and went to the same assembly point where he stood yesterday. Everyone was already waiting for him. Standing back on the wooden crate, he did a headcount on everybody. But before he dismisses everyone for their work, he gave one last note before starting.
"Good morning, everyone. I've hoped you all had slept well. Yesterday, a few of our fellow citizens suggested that we let our children do some labor work. As there was lots of work needed to do dealt with."
Some of the parents have started to make some noise again. But he raised his hand to silence them.
"But I would like to let you know that I have decided to decline that suggestion, and instead. I proposed building a schoolhouse instead. Where the kids will be safe and won't cause any mischief while the rest of us work." He finishes, waiting for their answer.
There was a woman who spoke up, and it was Olivia. "I agree with the Captain. It is too early for our children to work. It is too dangerous for them." She said. Half of them nodded at her statement.
But somebody objected, "But there's too much work to handle. We need to let the kids learn how to survive in these harsh times. I'm not letting my son be unprepared when the time arises."
The other half nodded as well, but instead of fighting like last time, both parties looked to him for his final decision. He was thrown back by their feedback. Both choices are good. But, they come with a cost. "People usually look for the quickest solutions, not the best ones. You fix the problem your way, that's fine." The sergeant's advice from yesterday played back in his mind.
In an instant, he made his final decision, "If some of the children want to help, they can do so, but only safe jobs will be allowed. For those who don't want them to, it is alright. We will have the shelter built up either way." He said.
The two parties began to discuss among themselves.
They have agreed to give the children the freedom to choose if they want to help or not. To which he agrees as well. Soon after, some of the kids followed the adults to work. Help them out in gathering and cooking.
The construction of the new schoolhouse is already underway.
While he was helping with the building, someone suddenly tapped on his shoulder. He looks behind. It was another woman who seems quite sad, "Are you alright, Miss? What happened? Did you hurt yourself while working?"
The woman shook her head and said, "It's about my husband and daughter, sir. They didn't reach the city with the main group when the blizzard hit us, but I'm sure they're still out there. We'll be able to find them soon, right?"
"We'll do what we can. Don't worry. We'll find your family soon."
She thanked him and went back to work. He went back to building the schoolhouse. But another person came over. An engineer came and informed him that the workshop was also beginning its construction.
Everything is almost coming together now, and soon they will be able to get a beacon running and send out the first scout team. He continued to work with his citizens until the horn sounded. "Workday is over everyone, rest while you can." said the announcer.
He went to check if the cookhouse was up and running already. Fortunately, it finished just in time for dinner. Lots of people lined up to get their food. "I don't think I've eaten anything ever since I got off that dreadnought." He thought.
The cook-house was big. A two-story building, not wanting to waste another minute and went in. The Captin opens the door and sees everyone enjoying their off time resting and conversing with each other.
One of them turned to the door.
"Hey, it's our Captain. Come in." He invites him in. Everyone else soon came forward and greeted him as well, thanking him for his hard work. After a handful of handshakes and occasionally hugs, he finally made it to the person in charge of the cookhouse,
"Ah, Captain. It's finally good to see you, sir." A Scottish man greets from his counter. "My name's Finn. I'm in charge of preparing the food around here. What brings you here?"
Before he could answer, his stomach beat him to it. And it was so loud that everyone in the room could hear. Finn just gave a small laugh, "Well, I think it is obvious. Here you go, sir."
He pours a healthy portion of hot stew into a bowl and serves it to him.
"Thanks, Finn."
He nodded before starting to eat. "By the way, our food stock is running low at the moment. And I hope that we have hunters ready by tonight to start gathering more before we run out of food."
"We'll have them up as soon as we can. You will have plenty of food to go around."
Finn nods before leaving him to attend to the others. After the warm meal, he felt a lot better than yesterday with a full stomach. He exits the cook-house and steps back outside. The sky begins to darken.
The night has come.
He noticed a group of hunters under a small hut carrying rifle-muskets. They must be a hunting party. He walks up to them, "Good evening, gentlemen. I hope you all are ready to head out soon?"
The hunters turned to look at him.
"Yes, Captain. My team will be back in the morning before sunrise with enough food."
"Have you done this before?"
"No, sir. But, that would be that man over there. His name is Johnny. He said he's a veteran hunter. He's been teaching us how to hunt just now."
"I see, thank you."
He walks over to the hunter. He could see him cleaning his rifle.
"I overheard what you did, thank you. These people could use the knowledge that they gained from you." He said as he raised his hand to shake. But the hunter ignores him.
His hand was still hanging awkwardly. He pulls back his hand shortly after.
He can already tell that the veteran isn't very social. "Okay, well. Carry on then." The hunter stood up and looked at him in the eye. He then slowly walks back to his group.
"That was wired." He thought.
He hasn't done anything to offend him, not that he can recall, as it was his first time meeting him.
He heads over to the workshop, still under construction. An engineer was talking to a guard, "But, sir. I need to talk to the Captain. This information is only to be heard by him."
"Sorry, but I can't help you. Our Captain is a busy man, and he can only do so much right now."
He walked up from behind and tapped the engineer's shoulder, which is a she, as she turned around in surprise. She adjusted her glasses.
"You wanted to talk to me?"
She nodded, "Yes, Captain. Um. Can we speak in private? It's important that only you should hear it."
"Sure, follow me."
He leads her back to his tent, "Alright, what is so important that you want to tell me?"
The young woman was hesitant, "My name is Elliana, Captain. Well, it's about the weather, and..."
"And?"
"And there's something terrible that's going to happen here."
He scoffs, "It can't be that bad, can it?" He places his hands on his hips.
But Elliana shakes her head. "It's bad. Our reports have shown that there is a massive storm is coming. I've heard from the older scientist before we left London. The storm would be colder than it is right now. And I don't know exactly when it will be coming, or if we will be able to survive it." Elliana explained as she starts crying softly.
He hugs her. Trying to comfort her, he lets her cry for a while until she gets better.
"Don't worry. We'll make it. We all will. Don't lose your hope just yet." Elliana nods, wiping her tears away. "Thank you, Captain. I won't."
"Good. Now, you're a scientist as well, right? I think the workshop will be ready by tomorrow. I want you and the engineers to start working on our beacon as soon as you can. We can start bringing more of our people into the city. I'll be counting on you."
Elliana nods, smiling. She leaves the tent without saying anything else. After her news and fear of dying to the cold, he felt an immense weight set upon his shoulders, "We will survive, we must. The city will not fall." He thought to himself as he prepared to get ready for bed.
He had trouble trying to fall asleep.
End of Chapter 2