18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 46

Stella stepped into the kitchen and grabbed some freshly boiled eggs. She made a batch of pickling liquid and pour it over the eggs. "It's done." she stated.

...

Just as she was about to take a nap, there came a knock at the door.

The residents of 1801 and 1803 were heading out, even Rosie was donning her raincoat. Jasper wanted to take these two out for some real-world experience. With Cooper's unbridled enthusiasm, Stella thought about it and didn't refuse, "Wait here."

She went back to retrieve her makeup box, selecting a dark color and began to apply it on Rosie's face. It wasn't wrong to let Rosie see the harsh reality of the post-apocalyptic world early on. Still, she was simply too rosy-skinned, making her an easy target if she ventured outside.

After some retouching, Stella finally finished applying the makeup to Rosie's face making her look more weathered and rugged. The dog nudged over as well; he wanted to be painted too.

Stella scoffed at the idea. The dog's face was ugly enough as it was. Cooper, whose confidence was severely dented, huffed and without looking back, left with Jasper.

When Stella woke up from her nap, she began preparing to perform acupuncture on Katie.

Katie took out a cloth-wrapped baked potato from her pocket, "Stella, my back is feeling much better. Thank you."

The potato was still warm, but Stella refused, "I have charged for my services. You keep it."

She wouldn't take anyone's survival chances away. Food was life.

Katie, however, insisted on giving Stella the potato. Suddenly, there was another knocking sound from downstairs.

"I appreciate your kindness," Stella told her, "but if you insist on giving it to me, you can use the potato to pay for your future treatments."

The knocking continued. After a while, someone started shouting, "Hey, girl from the 18th floor, I'm here for treatment. Open up!"

what

noise, Stella went downstairs and asked

middle-aged woman approached her, quickly putting on

a doctor, just

a fever. Could

charge for my

the woman's smile froze, "What? It's just a headache

shoplifter or something? I don't have any medication

medication? Can you at least

of food

you five pounds of food?" The woman was furious, "You can't just take advantage of people like this. We are all neighbors. We should help each other. You've already taken so much, and now you want

forward, brandishing her knife, "Say that

doing? Are you trying to kill me? I have connections in the police department. If you lay a finger

noise, swung her

on the 18th floor! She's

"Keep shouting. Look at you, all plump from overeating. Come here to

from out of town with her grandson, selfish and love to take advantage. She would go through the trash cans in every building to pick up things, even asking for beverage bottles that others hadn't finished drinking. The woman's face turned pale, and her voice significantly weakened, "I...

hit, she went knocking on doors to borrow

get some. She had no idea this young girl would be so

don't have any extra food. If we had any, we would have given

me again, I won't hesitate to break down

terrified by Stella's menacing glare, quickly retreated

Stella resumed her acupuncture session

"She's a real piece of work, always trying to take advantage of others. Even her kids are spoilt, always grabbing things that aren't theirs. We stopped letting them into our house a long time ago. Oh, and be careful with the girl next door. She's

cut off?" She was referring to

she's been asking around about you, trying to find out if

oblivious to Sadie's intentions, "I told her you didn't have any, but she didn't believe me. She's even managed to turn some of