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The Cold Pools
Meet me at the end of the world ...
As civilization comes to an end, Lewis and Karen take their last vacation to the only cold place left on Earth, the remote resort town of Cold Pools. There, they will say goodbye ...
The Cold Pools - a short story of 3,000 words, is taken from the author's collection Ms Ito's Bird & Other Stories.
As civilization comes to an end, Lewis and Karen take their last vacation to the only cold place left on Earth, the remote resort town of Cold Pools. There, they will say goodbye ...
The Cold Pools - a short story of 3,000 words, is taken from the author's collection Ms Ito's Bird & Other Stories.
26 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2012
41 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Chris Ward
58 books141 followersChris Ward is the author of The Tube Riders series, the Tales of Crow series, and the forthcoming Endinfinium YA fantasy series.
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
December 29, 2014
Enjoyable short story. Sometimes short stories feel a bit random due to the lack of background info so I did find it a little odd but perfectly readable!
June 13, 2019
The Cold Pools - a review by Rosemary Kenny
What an amazing 'exercise' in creative writing! Chris Ward was already high in my esteem with his more recent series', but reading this poignant, thought-provoking masterpiece of brevity (3000 words), just took my breath away and I'm still thinking about it hours later.
The Cold Pools reminded me of Russell Nohelty's The Tree and My Father Didn't Kill Himself (both fantastic short stories), or the Pixar film WALL-E, as they're set in a future world that seems pretty bleak, yet all have the redeeming feature/link of Love making all the difference, when hope seems lost for our self-destructed planet.
The Cold Pools is also a tale of contrasts - the 'Haves' who can afford to move off-world when the Global Warming sirens start sounding, while profiting from the 'Have-Nots', who are imprisoned in a desolate inferno, that destroys those who are trapped in their air-conditioned apartments, or risking (as with one MC), deadly skin conditions and other life-shortening cancers.
The determination to do it 'My Way', is the reason the two MCs rely on the generosity of family and friends' donations and all their own savings to travel to the eponymous pools, that are not all they seem.
I also liked the way a comparison was drawn between the female MC's touch and the coolness of the nearby pools, as the resigned pair approach their target.
Even though both are aware of the reality of the situation they've come to accept, their undying love unites them in continuing the pretence, both as a comfort for one another and to form lasting happy memories by suspending disbelief at what, (literally) lies beneath the surface.
For me the 'finale' to this tragic episode comes both as a rude awakening, yet a realisation that the truth (however uncomfortable), has set them both free - until they can be together again, in spirit at least - and inspired me to dare to hope that this 'what if...? near-future possibility may never come to pass.
You absolutely MUST read it for yourself - it's a modern mini-masterclass in 'flash fiction' on a par with the emotional effects of War and Peace, or Gone With the Wind and as powerful in its own way.
Don't wait - get to the bookstore/online for your copy asap. It's another 5-star winner for the talented Chris Ward - and a morality tale for today!
What an amazing 'exercise' in creative writing! Chris Ward was already high in my esteem with his more recent series', but reading this poignant, thought-provoking masterpiece of brevity (3000 words), just took my breath away and I'm still thinking about it hours later.
The Cold Pools reminded me of Russell Nohelty's The Tree and My Father Didn't Kill Himself (both fantastic short stories), or the Pixar film WALL-E, as they're set in a future world that seems pretty bleak, yet all have the redeeming feature/link of Love making all the difference, when hope seems lost for our self-destructed planet.
The Cold Pools is also a tale of contrasts - the 'Haves' who can afford to move off-world when the Global Warming sirens start sounding, while profiting from the 'Have-Nots', who are imprisoned in a desolate inferno, that destroys those who are trapped in their air-conditioned apartments, or risking (as with one MC), deadly skin conditions and other life-shortening cancers.
The determination to do it 'My Way', is the reason the two MCs rely on the generosity of family and friends' donations and all their own savings to travel to the eponymous pools, that are not all they seem.
I also liked the way a comparison was drawn between the female MC's touch and the coolness of the nearby pools, as the resigned pair approach their target.
Even though both are aware of the reality of the situation they've come to accept, their undying love unites them in continuing the pretence, both as a comfort for one another and to form lasting happy memories by suspending disbelief at what, (literally) lies beneath the surface.
For me the 'finale' to this tragic episode comes both as a rude awakening, yet a realisation that the truth (however uncomfortable), has set them both free - until they can be together again, in spirit at least - and inspired me to dare to hope that this 'what if...? near-future possibility may never come to pass.
You absolutely MUST read it for yourself - it's a modern mini-masterclass in 'flash fiction' on a par with the emotional effects of War and Peace, or Gone With the Wind and as powerful in its own way.
Don't wait - get to the bookstore/online for your copy asap. It's another 5-star winner for the talented Chris Ward - and a morality tale for today!
March 16, 2017
If I were the author, I would like to dedicate this one to those people who still believe that global warming is a political opinion. Sigh.
May 22, 2012
A Delightful Short Story
The world is coming to an end and the only naturally cool place remaining is the cold pools.
Lewis and Karen spend all they have to go there for their last, their very last holiday together. Karen is suffering from skin cancer and has very little time left......
What a lot is packed into these 3,000 words! The Cold Pools is a horror story set in a dystopian future world where nothing is quite as it seems. But it is also a very poignant love story. Beautifully-written, Mr Ward manages to create an alternative world, believable characters and a thought-provoking plot with the apparent ease that marks a master of the short story form.
It is very refreshing to read a story that works as well as this one.
The world is coming to an end and the only naturally cool place remaining is the cold pools.
Lewis and Karen spend all they have to go there for their last, their very last holiday together. Karen is suffering from skin cancer and has very little time left......
What a lot is packed into these 3,000 words! The Cold Pools is a horror story set in a dystopian future world where nothing is quite as it seems. But it is also a very poignant love story. Beautifully-written, Mr Ward manages to create an alternative world, believable characters and a thought-provoking plot with the apparent ease that marks a master of the short story form.
It is very refreshing to read a story that works as well as this one.
March 18, 2014
As the world ends, a couple go to the last cold spot on Earth. They are taking their last vacation to the remote resort town to say goodbye.
This is a great example of what a short story should be. It is able to give the reader a whole wholly changed from what we know, well developed characters, and a story filled with emotion.
I found this as short story as a free download. Obviously the author wants to introduce the reader to his writings. If this is an accurate example, than I will be looking for more of his works to read.
This is a great example of what a short story should be. It is able to give the reader a whole wholly changed from what we know, well developed characters, and a story filled with emotion.
I found this as short story as a free download. Obviously the author wants to introduce the reader to his writings. If this is an accurate example, than I will be looking for more of his works to read.
November 1, 2019
A grim tale of ecological disaster coupled with a smaller, more personal one that's no less sad.
We meet two characters visiting the last cool place on Earth: a theme-park-like town in Antarctica that's home to the last glacier on the planet. With climate change and atmospheric decay, humanity seems to have become resigned to trying to enjoy their last days rather than fight against the inevitable. The same can be said for our two protagonists, one of whom doesn't have long left to enjoy at all...
Nitpick the science all you like; to me this story was about the futility of trying to go against consumerism even in the face of certain annihilation. While I didn't always understand the characters' actions, the social commentary is striking (if depressing) stuff.
We meet two characters visiting the last cool place on Earth: a theme-park-like town in Antarctica that's home to the last glacier on the planet. With climate change and atmospheric decay, humanity seems to have become resigned to trying to enjoy their last days rather than fight against the inevitable. The same can be said for our two protagonists, one of whom doesn't have long left to enjoy at all...
Nitpick the science all you like; to me this story was about the futility of trying to go against consumerism even in the face of certain annihilation. While I didn't always understand the characters' actions, the social commentary is striking (if depressing) stuff.
March 5, 2019
A global warming tale
When the world has overheated and the atmosphere boiled away, luxury changes. Now humans search for cool water and icy breezes. A couple takes a make-a-wish type vacation to one of the last known refuges of its kind. Facing the inevitable, they hope to usher in the end on thwir own terms.
I was surprisingly invested in this couple that I barely had a chance to know. The story paints a vivid picture of the world they live in and the future they face. While the reader is still wrapping their head around what has become of the world, the characters prepare to reveal one last shocking detail. It's a powerful short story.
When the world has overheated and the atmosphere boiled away, luxury changes. Now humans search for cool water and icy breezes. A couple takes a make-a-wish type vacation to one of the last known refuges of its kind. Facing the inevitable, they hope to usher in the end on thwir own terms.
I was surprisingly invested in this couple that I barely had a chance to know. The story paints a vivid picture of the world they live in and the future they face. While the reader is still wrapping their head around what has become of the world, the characters prepare to reveal one last shocking detail. It's a powerful short story.
September 10, 2020
Oftentimes, a short story seems just that....short. In this case, the author does a great job in building the mood of the story and developing the characters in a few words.
The world has warmed up and there is only one glacier left. Karen is dying and her last wish is to see the one remaining glacier. She and her husband, Lewis, travel there and learn the truth about the Cold Pools.
The story was poignant, well-written, and thought-provoking. Well done for a short story.
The narrator was perfect and his performance added a lot to this story. I was given the chance to listen to the audiobook version by the author/publisher and chose to review it.
The world has warmed up and there is only one glacier left. Karen is dying and her last wish is to see the one remaining glacier. She and her husband, Lewis, travel there and learn the truth about the Cold Pools.
The story was poignant, well-written, and thought-provoking. Well done for a short story.
The narrator was perfect and his performance added a lot to this story. I was given the chance to listen to the audiobook version by the author/publisher and chose to review it.
September 16, 2017
( Format : audiobook )
The best views of the valley"
This short but satisfying story is told in a first person monologue by Lewis, who, with his Karen, has travelled to holiday in the one place left in the world where the air temperature was below 77 farenheit. A peek into the future.
It is a poignant story, well read by Noah Lee Margetts, whose soft but gruff voice liltingly tells Lewis's story, his voice conveying the emotions felt. Very quick to read, it is both lovely and gives pause for thought.
The best views of the valley"
This short but satisfying story is told in a first person monologue by Lewis, who, with his Karen, has travelled to holiday in the one place left in the world where the air temperature was below 77 farenheit. A peek into the future.
It is a poignant story, well read by Noah Lee Margetts, whose soft but gruff voice liltingly tells Lewis's story, his voice conveying the emotions felt. Very quick to read, it is both lovely and gives pause for thought.
October 15, 2020
This short story is a sad but beautiful tale of loss, both personal and environmental. It draws you in and pull at your heartstrings from the very beginning. The narrator infuses a multitude of emotions into this short poignant story, with excellent tempo shifts, intonation and vocal inflection. It is a well written piece that that hints at possible global warming consequences in the future and makes your heart ache for the human ramifications.
April 25, 2019
Very well written short story. It creates a new world from our old one with just a few well-placed details. The characters aren't developed yet I cared about them. When the ultimate lie is revealed, it is fitting and inevitable. Highly recommended.
March 5, 2021
A future difficult to live with and which places each individual at its limit all the time. Although a grim subject it´s lightly written, entertains and keeps the attention of the reader, and at the end leaves the sensation that the story should have gone on! Great job Cris Ward!
July 26, 2019
Not into short stories....
- and this one was really short! I lover the Tube Riders series though. Too many questions left unanswered - for me anyway.
- and this one was really short! I lover the Tube Riders series though. Too many questions left unanswered - for me anyway.
December 14, 2019
.
I really enjoyed this short story because the ending was so very unexpected. The story was easy to get lost in from start to finish.
I really enjoyed this short story because the ending was so very unexpected. The story was easy to get lost in from start to finish.
September 16, 2020
Good book
August 25, 2025
a very short story, but it still manages to make the world and stakes clear.
August 29, 2025
read this one for the climate fiction challenge, and honestly, it was pretty straightforward. no frills, no overcomplication, just got to the point and delivered the story
February 16, 2016
Unique and Imaginative
Ward successfully portrays a future, where everything is to be manufactured, and I mean everything: glaciers, the air...it all. A future so bleak and artificial, where the bigger problems have still not been resolved: global warming, cancer, the end of the world. A world which is nothing short of an illusion.
It's almost as if everyone is concerned with making life the way it used to be- as real as possible- but not necessarily better.
The two characters: Karen and Louis have come to realise this and Karen, a cancer sufferer, cannot accept it. Whilst, Louis, a man unwilling to move on, has come to terms with the fact that he will soon fade from this life. Their relationship is heart breaking, and moving in that it
The writing was devastatingly descriptive and emotive, and presented the concept of a future, brilliantly. I appreciated that this novel was different, a world I have thought about often, but could never have explored in such a way. The question of a future is something that hits all of at various points in our lives and for me, when you have such big choices to make, it becomes something which you obsess over. No one wishes to waste time, yet we d so anyway. We can't always utilise time efficiently. But that is a subject best left for another time.
What I mean to say is that when someone is asked such a poignant question of their future, they tend to think short term and in regard to their position in a chosen career. We tend to think it in terms of what we mean to achieve, gain or become, frequently we overlook the wider picture. No one would ever delve into the subject with such intensity and reflection as Ward. This novel served me as a slap in the face. A wake up call. A much needed reminder. We should solve our issues today, rather than pass them off for another day. That other day may not come and if it does, it may prove too late.
Please note that this is my own interpretation of the novel, I have in no way been influenced by other reviews.
Ward successfully portrays a future, where everything is to be manufactured, and I mean everything: glaciers, the air...it all. A future so bleak and artificial, where the bigger problems have still not been resolved: global warming, cancer, the end of the world. A world which is nothing short of an illusion.
It's almost as if everyone is concerned with making life the way it used to be- as real as possible- but not necessarily better.
The two characters: Karen and Louis have come to realise this and Karen, a cancer sufferer, cannot accept it. Whilst, Louis, a man unwilling to move on, has come to terms with the fact that he will soon fade from this life. Their relationship is heart breaking, and moving in that it
The writing was devastatingly descriptive and emotive, and presented the concept of a future, brilliantly. I appreciated that this novel was different, a world I have thought about often, but could never have explored in such a way. The question of a future is something that hits all of at various points in our lives and for me, when you have such big choices to make, it becomes something which you obsess over. No one wishes to waste time, yet we d so anyway. We can't always utilise time efficiently. But that is a subject best left for another time.
What I mean to say is that when someone is asked such a poignant question of their future, they tend to think short term and in regard to their position in a chosen career. We tend to think it in terms of what we mean to achieve, gain or become, frequently we overlook the wider picture. No one would ever delve into the subject with such intensity and reflection as Ward. This novel served me as a slap in the face. A wake up call. A much needed reminder. We should solve our issues today, rather than pass them off for another day. That other day may not come and if it does, it may prove too late.
Please note that this is my own interpretation of the novel, I have in no way been influenced by other reviews.
August 25, 2016
Another free Kindle read
Sometimes it is the trivial things that can ruin one's ability to enjoy a story. Specifically here, it was the faulty understanding of geographic climate (sure, Antarctica could stop being mostly desert...one imagines), coupled with the odd conceit that humanity's efforts are not directed toward battling the crisis but rather building a resort town that people cannot afford to go to. Just what is the economy in this setting? And why didn't all the surface dwellers die from the radiation pulses that would have proceeded the sun going read? Maybe that is just supposed to be pollution affecting how it is viewed. That, at least, would explain why common names would endure (which few have, historically).
Merged review:
Sometimes it is the trivial things that can ruin one's ability to enjoy a story. Specifically here, it was the faulty understanding of geographic climate (sure, Antarctica could stop being mostly desert...one imagines), coupled with the odd conceit that humanity's efforts are not directed toward battling the crisis but rather building a resort town that people cannot afford to go to. Just what is the economy in this setting? And why didn't all the surface dwellers die from the radiation pulses that would have proceeded the sun going read? Maybe that is just supposed to be pollution affecting how it is viewed. That, at least, would explain why common names would endure (which few have, historically).
Sometimes it is the trivial things that can ruin one's ability to enjoy a story. Specifically here, it was the faulty understanding of geographic climate (sure, Antarctica could stop being mostly desert...one imagines), coupled with the odd conceit that humanity's efforts are not directed toward battling the crisis but rather building a resort town that people cannot afford to go to. Just what is the economy in this setting? And why didn't all the surface dwellers die from the radiation pulses that would have proceeded the sun going read? Maybe that is just supposed to be pollution affecting how it is viewed. That, at least, would explain why common names would endure (which few have, historically).
Merged review:
Sometimes it is the trivial things that can ruin one's ability to enjoy a story. Specifically here, it was the faulty understanding of geographic climate (sure, Antarctica could stop being mostly desert...one imagines), coupled with the odd conceit that humanity's efforts are not directed toward battling the crisis but rather building a resort town that people cannot afford to go to. Just what is the economy in this setting? And why didn't all the surface dwellers die from the radiation pulses that would have proceeded the sun going read? Maybe that is just supposed to be pollution affecting how it is viewed. That, at least, would explain why common names would endure (which few have, historically).
January 26, 2017
This was a traumatically beautiful short story. Imagine you are one of the unlucky souls who is living on Earth as the Sun is slowly cooking it away. Luis takes his wife on her trip of a life time to the cold pools, the last remnant of the worlds glaciers. His wife, Karen, has skin cancer due to the Sun’s unforgiving UV rays and now she is dying like most everyone on the planet. This is the last cool paradise on Earth and the perfect place for his wife’s final days, or is it?
I was in absolute awe of this tale. It was beautifully written and you are quickly drawn into this true dystopian world. So drawn in that you really are shocked but the true nature of it so much and are left wishing that it wasn’t so. My heart truly broke by the ending but it made the story oh so beautiful. I highly recommend adding this tale to your dystopian short stories.
I gave this short story 5 stars because it was an absolutely beautiful tale and even though the ending left my heart broken I really loved it. I truly hope you enjoy this as much as I did. You can find it on Amazon for free download.
Happy reading!!
Find this and other reviews on my blog
I was in absolute awe of this tale. It was beautifully written and you are quickly drawn into this true dystopian world. So drawn in that you really are shocked but the true nature of it so much and are left wishing that it wasn’t so. My heart truly broke by the ending but it made the story oh so beautiful. I highly recommend adding this tale to your dystopian short stories.
I gave this short story 5 stars because it was an absolutely beautiful tale and even though the ending left my heart broken I really loved it. I truly hope you enjoy this as much as I did. You can find it on Amazon for free download.
Happy reading!!
Find this and other reviews on my blog
December 4, 2012
Have just finished this intriguing and very nicely crafted short story. It evoked Margaret Atwood's Year of the Flood.
Within the 3,000 word framework I found the characterisations good but I would have loved a deeper look into their lives. I would certainly buy and read the book if the author ever considered expanding the story.
I won't give spoilers but I have to say the ending was fairly clearly telegraphed and to be frank if they were going to do it why didn't they do it together.
Within the 3,000 word framework I found the characterisations good but I would have loved a deeper look into their lives. I would certainly buy and read the book if the author ever considered expanding the story.
I won't give spoilers but I have to say the ending was fairly clearly telegraphed and to be frank if they were going to do it why didn't they do it together.
November 20, 2014
Quickie
This is the first story I've read by Chris Ward and I know he's a series writer - this feels like a story that hasn't been finished. There's a lot of ideas crammed into this dystopian world and I'm wondering if this book is paraphrasing the details we learn elsewhere in other stories.
The tale itself is morbid and I do want to see more of the world so I can understand it.
This is the first story I've read by Chris Ward and I know he's a series writer - this feels like a story that hasn't been finished. There's a lot of ideas crammed into this dystopian world and I'm wondering if this book is paraphrasing the details we learn elsewhere in other stories.
The tale itself is morbid and I do want to see more of the world so I can understand it.
January 15, 2023
3.5
I would have liked a little more character build up before the real plot started just to make it more emotionally involving, but that's just personal preference. The author makes good use of imagery though, the description made the glacier awesome at first, then disappointing when the truth is revealed. And those sores sound... well, I could definitely picture them.
I would have liked a little more character build up before the real plot started just to make it more emotionally involving, but that's just personal preference. The author makes good use of imagery though, the description made the glacier awesome at first, then disappointing when the truth is revealed. And those sores sound... well, I could definitely picture them.
July 26, 2015
This was an interesting story to say the least. I wish it would have been a little longer though. The fact that the cold city or whatever was actually fake, that was really sad. I get that the male main character brought his wife to this place...I assume to die, but why bother scheduling other events if you wouldn't be around to do them?
March 13, 2016
This short story takes places at the end of the world when there is no hope left for humanity. It is a sad tale of a woman with terminal cancer and her last days with her husband, in the one comfortable place left on Earth.
It's an interesting story. I was a bit taken aback by the husband's reaction when the wife went swimming, but I kind of liked the twist at the end.
It's an interesting story. I was a bit taken aback by the husband's reaction when the wife went swimming, but I kind of liked the twist at the end.
February 2, 2017
Very short, but very moving story of a husband and wife on holiday. It's not a typical holiday, however, as the destination for the couple is quite unexpected.
I found "The Cold Pools" a powerful read. It presents a sad world, made sadder by the tale that unfolds surrounding our main characters. It's truly a great story, well worth the brief amount of time it takes to read.
I found "The Cold Pools" a powerful read. It presents a sad world, made sadder by the tale that unfolds surrounding our main characters. It's truly a great story, well worth the brief amount of time it takes to read.
March 23, 2014
Incredibly disturbing, realistic, story--about as Dystopian as it is possible to achieve. My stomach is still churning. I've not been this shaken by a story since "A Canticle for Leibowitz," "Tomorrow," And "On the Beach"(back in the 1950s-1960s). I will not be able to forget this one either.
December 13, 2014
The Cold Pools is a decent short story that is easy to read and is a voyage into a future that is less than idyllic but believable and haunting.
A fun read with a cup of coffee or on a lunch break.
A fun read with a cup of coffee or on a lunch break.
June 16, 2015
*Spoilers*
This short story really moved me. I was scared by the end of it. Is that the way we're going? Is the planet going to heat up so much that we create a face glacier? I'm terrified. Kudos to Chris Ward.
This short story really moved me. I was scared by the end of it. Is that the way we're going? Is the planet going to heat up so much that we create a face glacier? I'm terrified. Kudos to Chris Ward.
January 22, 2015
What a world!
I chose this story to read something different and as it started I thought I had figured out the world the author had created. The twists of this story are pretty good. An enjoyable, short read!
I chose this story to read something different and as it started I thought I had figured out the world the author had created. The twists of this story are pretty good. An enjoyable, short read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews