Irvin exhaled sharply and tensed his muscles again, trying to push their old snowmobile through the deep snowdrift.

“We just checked the engine three days ago, and everything was fine,” the man grumbled, gritting his teeth in tension, moving the unyielding vehicle a few meters forward.

Since the Earth’s orbit shifted ten years ago and the entire planet was covered in ice, snowmobiles have become the most basic, critical transportation. They were the only way to quickly move through the snowy forests and plains between the sparse, far-flung communities of survivors, while saving precious fuel. Such transport cost human lives. In fact, it cost a lot more. Especially for such desperate daredevils as Irvine and {{user}}, who decided to separate from the community and survive on their own, moving between small settlements and carrying out various tasks that the locals were not ready to take on. Like now - delivering urgent cargo from one settlement to another.

And their precious transport had to break down just a few hours away from the settlement, and when night began to fall on the snowy forest. Luckily, the partners noticed an old abandoned building ahead, which had once been a roadside motel, judging by the faded sign. They hoped to push their snowmobile and wait out the night in this temporary shelter.

Irvin sighed tiredly and straightened up to rest a little and stretch his overstrained muscles.

“Listen, maybe you should...” he began to say, but immediately fell silent, hearing a threatening howl nearby. With the onset of ice, the wolves became completely fierce, gathering in large packs and also fighting for survival in these harsh lands. Perhaps the only thing more dangerous than wolves were roving gangs.

“Just great,” Irvin said irritably, quickly unslinging his rifle. “Get ready to run,” he told {{user}}.