The streaks of yellow pollen staining the pair's worn treads and busy pollinators buzzing

signaled the dreaded arrival of yet another burning summer. The gentle caress of the spring sun

was a mere shadow of the scorching temperament Aloysius and his son were trying to escape.

The earth had succumbed to the imposing effects of global warming and greenhouse gases and

finally become a fireball of heat between the north and south 50th parallels. Chaos and disorder

had plagued many countries including the former superpowers, China and the United States,

while Russia reasserted itself as a major player in global affairs. The United States had ceased to

exist. The population, dwindling in anarchy at a few hundred thousand, seasonally migrated

between the remains of the United States, like geese, south in the winter and north in the

summer. Extreme heat had caused widespread agricultural failures and a heat stroke ambuscade.

The surviving individuals, with their inherently low body temperatures, had managed to survive

despite the government's inability to quickly respond. The bittersweet Aloysius and son, were

saved by genetics, but through the same fashion lost a wife and mother. The ashen abandoned

automobiles thrown astray among the cracks in the asphalt, making room for the conquering

hardy trees, showed the disuse of the Detroit interstate of the last few years. However, the road,

after the two wayfarers had crossed the parched Detroit river from the Peninsula to the mainland,

was no other than a foot-path. It straggled onward into the mystery of Canada's "primeval"

forest.

A shocked Aloysius marveled at the seemingly ancient synthetic trees tightly hemmed

into the Canadian landscape. Even more, he marveled at the numerous vegetation long since

thought to be extinct in North America. Among the dense cool forests, a thriving population of

not syrup loving pacifists but resilient determined survivalists had constructed natural shelters

from the heat and created plots of various foodstuffs. Contrary to what the now crumbled United

States government had assumed of Canada, Canadian power was on par with Russia, if not

better. With a relatively unchanged style of living, aside from the deconstruction of existing

infrastructure to make way for the new, Canadians seemed to be dealing with the extreme

climates quite effectively. As Aloysius and son made their way to the heart of the forest, the

tight-knit community, the friendliness of the Canadians, and the abundance of crops made the

community seem increasingly alluring. However, upon closer examination, the eyes of the

individuals frequently glanced upwards, casting cautious admonishing looks towards Aloysius

and son. However, their smiles and welcoming demeanor remained permanently plastered on

their faces. As Aloysius allowed a careful observation of the treetops, noting dancing shadows

among the canopy, a wave of suspicion passed through his head. Casting ominous thoughts out

of his mind, Aloysius and his son stayed on the reservation, not anticipating the Morlocks a few

meters above his head, moving silently from tree to tree, eyeing their dinner.