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."

to a destitute beggar by natural disasters.

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

But what could he

of garbage, numb

and drove

and cashing

steel took the workers some time to clean, and after

of steel could sustain a family for a

questions about where the steel came from, which

plan to keep the credits. She went straight to the base's store and bought supplies-ten oxygen

for escape pods, these ten packs could last for three

case of a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation,

and buy a whole load at once, for the day when it might

other supplies, aside from a submarine, Stella had almost everything

the family was eager to return home

a word, probably a

inwardly, not sure

to their private compound, they crossed

"Hey, Bran. You left some meds with me a while back. With things as chaotic as they are, I can't

expecting the usually covetous Stella to offer the meds

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

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

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

him the address to the compound and exchanging goodbyes

truck drive away, feeling his heart,

trio and their dog enjoyed a luxurious meal after their refreshing

of home-cooked food

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 thinking of returning the surplus. What

in a hurry, probably all in Goldbridge except

asking him to do

had turned to scavenging, a dangerous and unglamorous

and luxury, now reduced to a pitiful