The sound of hammers striking metal, excavators moving earth, and men shouting instructions echoed throughout the vast valley. Standing atop a natural hill overlooking the land, Rob watched the beginning of what would become the strongest bastion of the new world.
He had done it.
His investments had surpassed every initial prediction. Pitcoin had exploded in value. TokTok and PallBook had become giants. Every prediction he made, armed with knowledge of the future, had paid off multiplied many times over, and the capital he now possessed allowed him to think on a scale he had never even dreamed of.
With nearly unlimited resources, Rob spared no expense.
He wouldn't just build a simple shelter.He would build a fortress, a community, a rock against the coming flood.
He hired elite architects and engineers, many of them trained under Chile's famously strict seismic building codes—the toughest in the world. Every design, every material, every steel and concrete joint was chosen not only to withstand earthquakes but also to survive years of natural and human-made sieges.
The base infrastructure would include:
- Reinforced concrete underground living modules.
- Hydroponic farms and protected crop fields.
- State-of-the-art solar panels combined with wind turbines.
- Deep water wells with autonomous purification systems.
- Storage facilities for food, weapons, fuel, and medical technology.
- A reinforced natural outer wall, surrounded by physical barriers and defense zones.
Everything had to be self-sufficient for decades, if necessary.
As construction progressed at a dizzying pace, Rob felt the invisible weight of time pressing against his back.
One morning, as he reviewed the dates in his notebook, his heart skipped a beat:Only six months remained.
Six months to eternity.Six months to build, to train, to strengthen, to prepare.Six months to secure the survival of his family and friends.
The stress was immense, but Rob couldn't falter. Not now.
Thanks to his fortune, he hired highly skilled work teams capable of completing the main infrastructure in just three months. Every day, more than a hundred workers, engineers, and specialists worked in rotating shifts, pushing progress at an almost inhuman pace.
Rob didn't want his family to be mere spectators.
From the beginning, he involved everyone, especially the children, in small tasks to strengthen their sense of belonging and responsibility.
Matthew and Benjamín, always curious, helped by moving lightweight tools, organizing materials, and cleaning work areas under adult supervision.
One afternoon, Rob sat with Matthew at a makeshift table under a large tent.
—"Son, do you know what a bubble level is for?"—he asked, showing him the tool.
Matthew observed attentively.
—"To see if something is straight?"
—"Exactly,"—Rob said, smiling—"Everything in life needs a solid foundation. If we build on something crooked, it all falls apart. Same with decisions."
Then he taught him how to use a small drill, always under strict safety rules. Matthew was bursting with excitement, and Rob saw a spark of maturity growing in his eyes.
Even the littlest ones, like Nicolás and Julián, carried buckets of water for the workers, laughing and competing among themselves.
Each, in their own way, was planting roots in the new world Rob was building.
However, while work at the bastion moved forward relentlessly, the rest of the world began showing its first cracks.
News of disasters increased daily:
- More frequent earthquakes in unusual regions.
- Hurricanes forming out of season.
- Tsunamis devastating coasts without warning.
- Intense solar storms disrupting communications and satellites.
Renowned scientists issued grim warnings. Documentaries, special reports, and academic papers spoke of an "accelerated shift" in planetary patterns.
But most of the world... kept living as if nothing was happening.
The signs were downplayed, blamed on "climate change" or simple natural fluctuations.
Rob knew the truth.
This was just the beginning.
Amid the chaos, Rob realized something crucial: he couldn't do this alone.
So he reached out to his closest friends: Alan, Beba, and a few others he trusted completely.
He organized a discreet meeting in one of the provisional rooms of the under-construction bastion.
He explained, carefully but sincerely, that the world would change brutally in the coming months and that they needed a safe place ready to withstand the unimaginable.
Alan was the first to respond:
—"Brother, if you say this is real, then there's nothing more to discuss. My family and I are with you."
Beba hugged Victoria, tears in her eyes.The other friends, after some logical questions, also agreed.
Thus, the circle of protection grew.
The bastion community was beginning to take shape.
It would not just be Rob and his family.It would be a small army of strong, loyal, and determined people ready to endure.
As the bastion took shape, time seemed to run faster.
Each day was a race.Each night, Rob mentally reviewed the pending tasks.
There were moments of laughter:Impromptu soccer matches among the kids, family dinners under the stars, and roaring laughter when workers cracked jokes during breaks.
But deep down... a shadow loomed.
The world would not be the same in six months.
And Rob knew it.
Every brick laid, every cable connected, every seed planted was an act of defiance against destiny.
One evening, after supervising the day's work, Rob stepped away from the bustle.
He sat on a rock, watching the horizon dyed red by the sunset.
Victoria quietly approached and sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.
—"You know,"—she said softly—"I think we're building something beautiful."
Rob stroked her hair and gazed at the horizon.
—"We're building hope. Not just for us. For everyone who doesn't yet know they'll need it."
The wind blew, carrying the scent of freshly turned earth and the distant echo of hammers.
Rob closed his eyes for a moment, imprinting that instant into his soul.
Soon... very soon...
The real test would begin.
But for now, they still had six months.
Six months to forge their eternity...