18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 24

Hearing about Cody's predicament, Angela was fuming. "Give him a beating and get him out of there!"

Sure, Cody had made a mistake, but he'd stockpiled all of Stella's needed medicine - not only was it all there, but he'd saved her both money and hassle. As a friend, Stella couldn't just stand by. After all, Cody had taken a beating for her when they were kids. Without hesitation, Angela kicked the door in, shouting, "Listen up, you've got one minute to clear out. If you don't, you don't want to know what will happen next!"

However, the only response was silence.

Stella handed Angela a crowbar from her bag. Angela, with her brute strength, started prying at the door.

"Who are you?" A voice suddenly echoed from behind them.

A couple in their sixties were walking up the stairs with a young girl who looked no older than nine. They were carrying a hefty bag containing what looked like an inflatable boat. Spotting the bag, Stella immediately recognized it as the one she had anonymously bought for Cody.

The brand was a professional one, not the sort an average person would choose to buy. In other words, these people were not only leeching off of Cody, but they were also hoarding the supplies she had bought.

Stella dragged the young girl by the collar to the door. "If you don't open this door, I won't hesitate to hurt your parents and your daughter."

She even pulled out a knife, scaring the girl into tears. "Mommy, mommy..."

The parents rushed in, stomping and shouting, "Murder! Murder!"

"Go ahead and scream. Let the whole building know that you've taken over someone else's home and pushed them to the brink."

wasn't possible for a single woman to kick Cody out, this had to be a collective effort! Despite the girl being only nine, she

child could be smiling at you one moment, and plunging a knife into your heart the next. The purer the smile, the darker the heart. Perhaps

complexion who barked at them, "What are you doing? We've told you we don't know Cody. If you

a

ground, and her face was bloodied. Several teeth were missing. A boy from inside the house screamed and threw a cup of

of the house, the clothes in the closet, everything

him hard against the wall. Regardless of what the adults did, the two children were well taken care of. But their survival was completely dependent on

was fierce and remorseless. What did that mean? He knew

the couple was wailing and crying, putting on a show. But it was all pointless. Everyone else was half-starved and had no time to

life. A few punches left the woman

"I don't hit the elderly, but if anything

along with some of Cody's clothes and other necessary items. The elderly woman, relying on the fact that she was female, fearlessly tried to wrestle the

Without the raft, there was no chance of survival. The old man didn't let go until Stella pulled out a bloody butcher's

at the middle-aged woman. "You're a real black

her up by the collar and

and

the child, howling, and screaming. Stella didn't blink an eye as she walked down the stairs and left. They rowed away in the inflatable raft, leaving the black widow struggling to swim not far away. What a pity, she could actually swim. As for

Griffith Hotel to look for Cody. Stella was torn, but remembering the beating Cody had taken on her behalf,

city's systems had collapsed, and the water was littered with garbage. The refugees were starving. There was no hot water, and food was scarce,

panting

housing thousands of