18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 349

The community garden was the pride and joy of everyone in the close-knit town. So when two satellites came crashing down, tearing through the tender crops, Collin and the others were beside themselves, mouths filled with bitter curses. Disaster struck without warning, leaving humanity powerless. Just in Griffith and Swan Hill alone, there were several satellite crashes, and who knew where else they had landed? It was as if the universe was conspiring to wipe out mankind. Stella saw how heartbroken Collin was but didn't know how to comfort him. "Coach," she started, "maybe... just maybe, this disaster will pass someday."

Together, they salvaged what they could from the wreckage of the greenhouse, desperately trying to save some of the medicinal herbs.

By the time they got back to the neighborhood, night had completely fallen.

Rosie, glancing up by chance, gasped and pointed, "Look, a shooting star!"

Stella looked up to see the streak of light glide through the night sky before vanishing into the darkness.

She remembered being a child, how thrilled she would be at the sight of a shooting star. Now, the joy was gone. Those weren't stars; they were satellites falling from orbit, each one a potential harbinger of doom.

Without any bomb shelters, the survivors had to dig their own basements or reinforce their homes. The random nature of these accidents was more terrifying than any predictable disaster-you never knew when the reaper would come for you. Stella visited the Porras family every few days to check on their wounds and remove stitches. Shane had been lucky; a gash on his forehead and a mild concussion, six stitches that were ready to come out.

Little Tommy's once bright and cute face now bore a jagged scar, his smile gone. "Grandma, where's Mommy?"

Aunt Linda of the Porras family tried to stay strong. "Mommy's gone to a faraway place, honey. She'll come back when you're grown up."

Illness and injuries had thrown the Porras family into chaos.

Bran managed to spare some medical supplies for Stella. "Sis, this is for you, your payment."

Stella was taken aback by his generosity. "This is too much."

It was indeed a lot, it felt like half of the Porras family's supplies.

"Keep it, sis. If it feels like too much, you can help out the Porras family when we're in need," Bran said with a weary smile. "Consider it stored with you. If another satellite hits, at least we won't be wiped out completely." Stella hesitated before agreeing. "Okay."

hefty, and Bran had it

been saved by the quick

Shane said, "Let's prepare gifts for each family, a token of thanks. For those who have been especially helpful, invite them over for a meal, but keep

clear to him that no individual or family was powerful

50. Without their immediate help, many Porras would have perished, making all the efforts to

"You did okay this time, didn't waste

at his pride, and Bran had

whole box of fresh meat, courtesy of

he knew others received some rice and smoked meat, but

sister-in-law, Bran's treating us. Do

were indifferent. "Whatever

occasional coaching and Monkey's frequent visits. They planned to cook themselves, bringing out their treasured liquor,

had eaten their fill, the toasts began. "Here's to you, sis, and brother-in-law, and to you,

later, they were drinking non-stop, even chugging from

was the hard

troubled but didn't advise him to drink

crashing to earth, one moment they were eating and drinking, and the next,

always at risk of being squashed by the celestial game

of pent-up frustration had taken their toll, and it

the drinking, his

look of confused melancholy on his face. "Jasper, sister-in-law,

give a

couple of shots. "Let's hope for

for us then?" Austin followed suit, blowing into the bottle. "Or

Stella. "Who cares what's next? We live while we can; if

away by acid rain or paralyzed like Bentley, begging