18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 354

dozens of meters into the air, continuously feeding the dark smoke above.

Black smoke billowed into the sky, rapidly ascending and spreading. Following the dark spectacle, plumes of ash-gray fog erupted, soon accompanied by flickering tongues of black and red flames. The flames shot from the mountaintop like a colossal blowtorch, reaching Molten lava spewed in all directions, splattering like grotesque fireworks. The blaze, the thick smoke, the flowing magma-they all expanded uncontrollably, like a hellish demon freed after eons, its ghastly visage unfurling claws and teeth, lunging at the insignificant humans below. Indeed, the volcano had erupted.

For a moment, everyone was paralyzed with shock.

"Move it!" Jasper's voice cut through the chaos, low and urgent.

Stella snapped out of her trance, quickly ushering Rosie and Cooper into the car, reminding them to buckle up. The streets were in turmoil as people frantically scrambled for their vehicles. In their haste, accidents happened-one car after another collided, creating a new tragedy.

Stella glanced back to see the volcanic ash staining half the sky, the red glow of molten

and oppressive, distant objects warping and trembling. The

calm herself, Stella remained vigilant. Pedestrians and vehicles alike sped away from the disaster, all hoping to put as much distance as possible between them and the ash cloud. Out of the corner of her eye, Stella noticed helicopters in the sky- more than one. Whether private or government, she couldn't tell. Air, land,

was treacherous, crowded with cars and people, each moment threatening a new accident, demanding her full attention. They pulled over for a break, to relieve themselves and stretch. Tensions were high; Stella observed a group nearby break into a fight over some petty disagreement while she

her binoculars and searched for signs of Griffith. Odd, the ash seemed to

behind her, followed by panicked shouts. Stella turned to look and her pupils dilated in horror. A massive dust storm, swirling with sand, soil, pebbles, and dead branches,

soil erosion, it was unthinkable for a dust storm to rise here. But there was no time for contemplation as the gale hit with a vengeance, whipping up debris and plunging the world into

turn their vehicles around. But as hands reached for the steering wheel, others, mistaking the

Hummer, but the storm was upon them in a blink. Instinctively, he dove to shield her.

the car, but the door, caught by the wind, slammed against her wrist with a sickening force. With the sensation of broken bones, Stella bit her lip and held on desperately, even as the tempest tossed her about. Enduring the pain, she pulled herself into

blindly, finding someone in the passenger seat a weight that eased her panic. She quickly climbed into the Arcadia. When the storm's fury abated, a haunting silence