18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 364

Stella paused, her senses on high alert. Something was moving in the fog, shifting uneasily. She pulled out her flashlight, slicing through the mist with a beam of light. A pair of eyes stared back at her, blinking.

Half-hidden behind a rock, she could see a head and ears twitching slightly. Stella adjusted the flashlight, confirming it was indeed a pair of eyes. Eyes that were not human. They were filled with wariness, confusion, exhaustion, and a stubborn will. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, "Cooper?"

The head in the fog moved, and a shaky body stepped out from behind the rock, whimpering softly. It started walking, then broke into a run, stumbling into Stella's arms.

The creature was emaciated, skin stretched over bones, its head barely holding on. Limping and weak, its body oozed pus from multiple wounds. If it weren't for those familiar eyes, Stella wouldn't have recognized it even up close. Its belly had a long gash that had been stitched up, scabbed over but still raw. Clearly, it had been through a lot.

Who else could have stitched those wounds but Jasper?

Stella broke down, hugging Cooper and sobbing uncontrollably, "Cooper, where's Jasper? Tell me, where is he?"

Cooper cried into her embrace, too weak to even struggle. Its paws were torn and bleeding, yet it had somehow found the strength to find her. It must have been the fireworks that led it to her.

dragged her, whining desperately. Ignoring the searing pain from its festering paws and its wobbly body, it led the way with a stubborn determination. Stella, feeling a lump in her throat, picked up Cooper, asking, "Show me,

and it pointed the way with its paw. Left,

hurried along with Cooper on her back, feeding it hot meat pies and its favorite drumsticks. Cooper ate while rubbing its eyes with its paws, the mournful sound growing louder.

pounded with urgency, her steps quickening. At a crossroads, she hesitated, unsure of the direction. Cooper leaped down, determined to lead despite its injured paws, running faster

buried the path, and flash floods had reshaped the landscape. Cooper trudged through the mud, crossing murky and dangerous streams.

few still recognizable despite the bite marks and torn throats. The fresh ones were Cooper's doing. The older wounds were likely Jasper's handiwork. They had been protecting each other. Standing outside the cave, Stella's heart raced. She didn't dare enter, afraid of what she might find.

breath, Stella bent low and crawled into the darkness. The cave was pitch black, her searching hand found an empty first aid kit. Further in, it was so cramped her

a cold hand. Her heart skipped a beat.

burning hot, his body otherwise ice-cold. Tears blurred her vision as she finally found him. Now wasn't the time for tears. Stella carefully brought both man and dog back to the safety of Arcadia. With the darkness gone, the light was almost blinding. Now she could see Jasper clearly-his once handsome features gone,

and maggot-infested. He had multiple injuries but had given the medicine to Cooper, stitching it

and stitched up the wound. Cutting away flesh usually didn't faze her, but with Jasper infected and in mortal danger, her

might have succumbed by now. He must have been waiting, wanting to

external injuries, she checked his battered back. Cooper, outside, whined non-stop, its voice laden with regret and

As she injected it, Stella's heart battled within her. She wasn't a professional doctor; though she had learned much from Dr. Garcia and Collin, it was in the field of traditional medicine. But if she didn't act, she knew Jasper wouldn't make it. The adrenaline shot was a choice she didn't