18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 355

The dust storm was still raging outside, but it had calmed down a bit at least the Humvee wasn't getting tossed around anymore. The wind was still fierce, though, pelting the vehicle's windows with relentless thuds of sand and gravel. Everywhere Stella looked, all she could see was an endless sea of yellow sand, battering everything in its path like it wanted to crush the world beneath it. Even pressing her face against the glass or using her night-vision goggles, she couldn't see anything but the swirling maelstrom outside.

"Bang!"

Something heavy hit the windshield, and from the shape of it, it looked like a person caught in the storm. But before Stella could get a good look, the figure was swept away again.

A smear of blood was left on the glass, quickly covered by the relentless sand. The bulletproof window was tough, but even it couldn't withstand the constant barrage of sand and debris forever. Scratches were beginning to show, and if she waited much longer, it would shatter.

Frustrated and anxious, Stella retreated back to Arcadia.

After a couple of hours, she ventured out again, her heart heavy with hope that was quickly extinguished by the unforgiving sand. It felt like her hope had been plunged into an icy abyss.

The wind had died down a bit, so Stella decided to wait it out in the Humvee. She couldn't see outside, but what if Jasper managed to find his way to her? What if he saw the Humvee was gone and went searching for her?

The inside of the vehicle was dim and shadowy, wrapped in a sandy cloak. Stella turned on the headlights and high beams, hoping they would guide him. After all, in a storm like this, she was probably the only one with lights on.

But after waiting for hours, Jasper still hadn't shown up, and the sand had buried half the tires. Waiting any longer would make it impossible to open the doors, yet the storm showed no signs of stopping.

outside was a void of darkness, with the

choice but to retreat to Arcadia once more. Descending from the vehicle, her legs buckled, nearly sending her crashing to the ground. She clutched at the world spinning around her, and the next thing she

burning, and she felt as if she had been trapped in a nightmare. In the dream, she had lost Jasper in the dust storm, unable to hold onto him as he was swept away. Cooper was

the spinning sensation to fade before she could fully comprehend that this wasn't just a bad dream. Struggling to sit up, she managed to eat a couple of bowls

two whole days. Two days and nights; the dust storm must have passed. Feeling weak, she forced

pistols, she stepped out of Arcadia. The sand was soft under her feet, the wind still

he survive this? Their emergency kits were always with them, but whether they

second day... Until the seventh day of the dust storm, when it finally seemed

forehead was healing well, her wrists still ached from the bruising but were no longer swollen. The streets were buried, cars either blown away or buried beneath the sand. Her feet sank into the soft ground. Stella scoured the area several times but found no sign

from the storm, Stella found the wind and sand less severe there. Assuring herself she was alone, she retrieved the Humvee and sat inside, waiting. Afraid to miss anything, she didn't return to Arcadia but held her vigil in the car. As night fell,

calling her, only to wake to emptiness. If she had never met Cooper, never fallen for Jasper, she could've survived on her own. But now, it felt impossible. Feeling ill again,

there's

look, pulling out the baseball

sand? Judging by how much the wheels were

early twenties whispered, "Boss,

puzzled, responded,

the car