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."

son of a wealthy family, now reduced to a destitute beggar by natural disasters.

left in the cab, so Bran had to settle for

he knew was a nightmare come true. But what could he do? He climbed aboard,

sat atop a pile of garbage, numb to the jostling of the vehicle, his eyes

entered the base and drove up to

trading, and cashing

some time to clean, and after weighing, they earned 3000 credits minus the 50-credit

truckload of steel could sustain a family for a

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

went straight to the base's store and

escape pods, these ten packs could last

a real-life Robinson Crusoe

left, Stella spotted coal for sale but decided to save up and buy a

other supplies, aside from a submarine, Stella

was eager

word, probably a matter of

a deep breath inwardly, not sure

the way back to their private compound, they crossed paths

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

aback, not expecting the usually covetous Stella to offer the meds

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

soon. We'll probably head out scavenging again after a short break. Wouldn't want you to make a wasted

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

address to the compound and exchanging goodbyes without

his heart, already battered

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

of home-cooked food after days on

discussing with Jasper, "Remember when the Porras family's annex got hit by that satellite? Bran gave us a lot of meds as thanks. I think he added extra as a gesture of goodwill. Now that he's hit

probably all in Goldbridge except Bran. With all the disasters, looking after their golden boy wouldn't be

his prideful nature, asking him to do hard labor for food was out of the

turned to scavenging, a dangerous and unglamorous

reduced to a pitiful state, it was a poignant reminder of