18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 376

Stella spotted him too-no doubt about it, he was a beggar. Dressed in tattered rags, barefoot, and wandering aimlessly. "Another soul driven mad by the apocalypse," she sighed to herself.

Just as she was reflecting, the sound of a car caught the beggar's attention. Surprisingly, he turned and waved frantically to flag it down. "Robbery tactics are getting more and more creative," she thought. "This guy could very well be a decoy for an ambush."

Stella cocked her gun, ready to take him down if he showed any sign of threat.

"Hey, stop the car, stop the car!" the beggar shouted.

Stella scanned the area but saw no sign of an ambush.

Jasper didn't hit the brakes and just drove past.

"Damn it, stop!" the beggar yelled, flipping them the bird.

Stella squinted, recognizing the figure in the rearview mirror.

"Stop the car," she commanded.

Seeing the truck pull over, the beggar's mood swung from irritation to hope. He limped over and asked, "Buddy, could you give me a lift?"

He hurried over but froze in shock when he got a better look.

It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him in the dead of winter.

Without a word, he covered his face and turned to leave.

"Bran," Stella called out.

It was as if his heart had been pierced; his entire body stiffened.

His dignity, once guarded, now trampled into the mud.

But Stella didn't mock him or ask how he'd come to this. "Get in. We're still a good ten miles from the base. If you walk, your feet will be shredded."

reduced to a destitute beggar by

room left in the cab, so Bran had to settle for sitting on a pile

someone he knew was a nightmare come true. But what could he do? He climbed aboard, the truck bouncing him all

sat atop a pile of garbage, numb to

and drove up to the recycling

and

and after weighing, they earned 3000 credits minus

of steel could sustain a family

attitude meant no prying questions about where the steel came from, which eased

straight to the base's store and

ten packs could

Robinson Crusoe situation, it was better to be

coal for sale but decided to save up and buy a whole

other supplies, aside from a submarine, Stella had almost

road, the family was eager to return home

without a word, probably a

a deep breath inwardly, not

way back to their private

thought, she pulled over and stuck her head out, "Hey, Bran. You left some meds with me a while back. With things as chaotic as they are, I can't keep them safe anymore. When

the usually covetous Stella to offer

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

try to come by soon. We'll probably head out scavenging again

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

to the compound and exchanging goodbyes

the truck drive away, feeling his heart,

at the compound, the trio and their dog enjoyed a luxurious

home-cooked food after days on the

"Remember when the Porras family's annex got hit by that satellite? Bran gave us a lot of meds as

left in a hurry, probably all in Goldbridge except Bran. With all the

and his prideful nature, asking him to do hard labor for food

necessity, he had turned to scavenging, a dangerous

and luxury, now reduced to a pitiful