18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 358

mouths without a thought for the days before the dust storms.

A ragged group shuffled into a side room, each clutching a half cup of water and a chunk of dense, dark rye bread. Starved and parched, their eyes lit up at the sight of food. They lunged like ravenous ghouls, gulping down the water and cramming the stale bread into their They ate in a frenzy, choking and coughing as they forced the dry food down their throats.

Rosie was still out cold, and someone eyed the untouched portion of food on the table with greedy intent.

The woman tending to Rosie shoved the intruder away. "We're all women here; no need to act like animals."

The pushed-away woman muttered, "She ain't your daughter. For all we know, you might not even make it through the night."

The caretaker's eyes turned icy. "Believe me, I'll cut you down if I have to."

the others saw the deadly seriousness in her gaze and

regained some strength. Panic set in as one whispered, "What do they

Rosie water and crumbled bread into her

yourselves up. Do a good job later, and there'll

scooped it to their lips

thanked the woman who had

second-hand clothes

the men's hungry and lascivious gazes. Rosie, particularly frail, staggered dangerously close to them, her vulnerability eliciting a rare moment of sympathy from

despite the rasp in

years of perpetual darkness, many survivors had developed acute hearing. She could discern the wind outside, suggesting the cave wasn't

sat around a table laden with food that reminded them of a feast: cured

shadows of their brothers, while Rosie observed the scene. These men wore human skins but exuded