18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 205

After they had finished moving, night had already fallen. Jasper and Stella ventured out one more time to return the rental truck.

As the darkness set in, the temperature started to drop, offering a much-needed respite from the heat.

They had disassembled two fire exit doors and, working together, they installed them at the entrance of their unit, locking them with a sturdy chain.

Jasper installed an alarm system, designed to emit a piercing sound if anyone tried to tamper with the lock. The hallway was transformed into a makeshift garage, barely large enough to accommodate their Hummer.

They hadn't figured out the character of the residents of Eastwood Eden, and with the vigilant Mark present, it would be risky to take any chances before understanding the situation thoroughly. They didn't park the Hummer inside Arcadia, but they did drain the gas tank.

Jasper was a hard worker, and he spent the night installing a stainless-steel door on the staircase of the apartment. This door was also electrified, adding an extra level of security.

Despite it being at night, it was still hot. Cooper was sprawled on the ground, too exhausted to even lift his tongue. Rosie was no exception, sweating profusely even in front of the air fan. Out of necessity, they spent the night installing air conditioning to keep them cool.

They hadn't installed the stainless-steel railing on the balcony yet, and without it, the curtains would billow with the breeze from the air conditioning.

They resigned themselves to the task, spending several hours installing a stainless-steel railing and bulletproof glass, before finally installing the air conditioning unit.

By the time they finished, it was already past four in the morning. Before long, dawn would break.

After a shower and with the cool breeze of the air conditioner on her skin, Stella fell into an exhausted sleep. Jasper tucked her in with a thin blanket, turned off the light, and lay down. When they awoke, it was nearly noon. The three of them, along with Cooper, sat down in their modest dining area for a brunch.

did not forget her chores, washing the dishes and wiping the table before taking some hay to the neighboring

Jasper's industriousness. He even fetched water from the well located near building number

perhaps due to his local celebrity status, the workers inadvertently filled his bucket more than usual, although it was still less

complained one of the workers. He showed Jasper how to filter the water, using a Mason jar filled with clean sand for

to do it, the worker offered him a homemade filter, but Jasper politely declined, taking his bucket of water

well water wasn't clean, getting access to it was

speed of drilling couldn't keep pace with the depletion of the

water was a precious resource. Instead of dumping the well water, Jasper called Rosie over and showed her how to survive in these tough conditions. He showed her how to let the dirty water settle, how to make a filter, how to filter

patient teacher, ensuring that Rosie would have

not spoiled. She took her lessons seriously, practicing again and

as a library. She had collected a large number of books before and after the disaster, and had acquired two large bookcases from Bryce. Stella sorted

psychology books, skill manuals, children's literature, classic novels, romance magazines, and some adult content that was

received news from the city council. Two private gangs, at the border of Griffith and Swan Hill, had clashed over territory, resulting in mutual annihilation. The police had rescued 48 women and 9 children who had been subjected to abuse for a long time. The city council promised

60,000 pounds of food and other supplies from the gangs, and

remain vigilant and be able to identify criminal bases, and not to blindly

thrilled. "Stella, they really were

reassured her, stroking her hair. "You played a big part in this, Rosie. You're

and said, "You guys are even

received any

is also amazing," said Jasper, acknowledging the dog's contribution. "Not many dogs could carry explosives and blow

it would have been much harder to bring