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."

proud son of a wealthy family, now reduced to a destitute beggar by

no room left in the cab, so Bran had to settle for sitting on a pile of muddy

moment exposed to someone he knew was a nightmare come true. But what could he do? He climbed aboard, the truck

sun set, the fallen rich kid sat atop a pile of garbage,

drove

and cashing

to clean, and after weighing,

sustain a family for a

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

to keep the credits. She went straight to the base's store and bought

pods, these ten

case of a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation, it was better to

half the credits left, Stella spotted coal for sale but decided to save up and buy a whole load at once, for the day when it might come in

a submarine,

the family was eager

left without a word, probably a matter

inwardly, not sure what

the way back to their

meds with me a while back. With things as chaotic as they are, I

usually

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

We'll probably head out scavenging again

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

the compound and exchanging goodbyes without

drive away, feeling his heart, already battered by the disasters, bleed

dog enjoyed a luxurious meal after

comfort of home-cooked food after days

by that satellite? Bran gave us a lot of meds as thanks. I think he added extra

family had left in a hurry, probably all in Goldbridge except Bran. With all the disasters, looking after their golden

him to do hard

had turned to scavenging, a dangerous and

by beauty and luxury, now reduced to a pitiful state, it was a poignant