It was still snowing.

Looking at the ground, the snow had already piled up to about a foot deep.

Yesterday's snowfall had been light, but it hadn't stopped, and none of it had melted. Little by little, the accumulation grew.

Was this snow toxic? Ray wondered. Hailstones had been poisonous, but over a month had passed. The cosmic rays the experts had warned about—weren't they long gone from Earth?

If so, the snow might actually be safe to drink. And that could change everything.

Before, toxi