Self-Review – Frozen Fortress

Let’s Look at Frozen Fortress

Frozen Fortress may very well be related to some memory of the film, On the Beach. The one with Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire, not the one with Rachel Ward.

It’s probably also a small bit about the 1980 film Virus, where a small number of survivors are living on an ice station.

I wrote this story during the second quarter of 2021.

Background

The original prompt word was icicles. I originally thought of Hitchcock, but also about what it would be like if we had to fight an enemy, but we couldn’t light anything on fire.

Plot

When the planet is invaded by aliens who love the heat, the people of Earth scramble to try to figure out some way to repel the invasion. When virtually every weapon is based on heat and fire, options are scarce.

Characters

The characters are the nameless narrator and their colleague, Jack Slade.

Memorable Quotes from a Frozen Fortress

When I joined the research station on the shores of the Ross Sea, I expected it would last for maybe two years at most. I never expected it would be for the rest of my days. Or anyone else’s, for that matter. Yet here we are.

The invasion started at the equator. They liked the heat—it was obvious. It took a while for the Earth’s governments and military to figure out how to at least try to use that data to our advantage.

But it’s hard when your main options are fire-based. The first time we nuked them, they just came back all the stronger. It was as if we had sent them a gift basket, or a catered meal.

We had no real way to propel anything frozen at them. An ice bullet? It all just melted.

I came here originally to study penguins. Now we’re fighting to stay alive and afloat.

Rating

The story has a K+ rating. While the story is technically about war, there isn’t a lot of that on screen.

Takeaways from the Frozen Fortress

I think the premise to this one is pretty sound. It just kind of stops cold (no pun intended, I swear!).

So, this could very well be the kind of story I could do something with in the future. Hmm…

---

Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?

If this story resonates with you, then I hope you will check out some of my other blog posts about my shorter works.

Short Stories

Finally, for a complete list of my shorter works, please be sure to check out the Hub Page—Short Stories.