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 natural disasters. Fate had a

in the cab, so Bran had to settle for

come true. But what could he do? He climbed aboard, the truck bouncing him all the way

garbage, numb to the jostling of the vehicle, his eyes void

entered the base and drove up to the

trading, and cashing in

steel took the workers some time to clean, and after weighing,

truckload of steel could sustain a

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

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

these ten

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

from a submarine, Stella had almost everything

was eager to return home and

a word, probably

deep breath inwardly, not

then, on the way back to their private compound, they crossed paths

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

the usually covetous Stella to offer the

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

soon. We'll probably head out scavenging again after a

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

to the compound and exchanging

drive away, feeling his heart,

the compound, the trio and their dog enjoyed

the comfort of home-cooked food after days on the

gave us a lot of meds as thanks. I think he added extra as a gesture of goodwill. Now that he's hit rock bottom, I'm

Goldbridge except Bran. With all the disasters, looking

skills and his prideful nature, asking him to do hard

he had turned to scavenging, a dangerous and

and luxury, now reduced to a pitiful state, it was a poignant reminder of