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."

family, now reduced to a destitute beggar by natural

was no room left in the cab, so Bran had to settle for sitting

his worst moment exposed to someone he knew was a nightmare come true. But what could he do? He climbed

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

drove up to the

trading, and

and after weighing, they earned 3000 credits minus

of steel could sustain a family for a

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

She went straight to the base's store and

pods, these ten packs could last for three

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

decided to save up and buy a whole load

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

the road, the family was

word, probably a matter

a deep breath inwardly,

then, on the way back to their private

"Hey, Bran. You left some meds with me a while back.

usually covetous Stella to offer the

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

scavenging again after a short break. Wouldn't want you to make a

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

compound and exchanging

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

trio and their dog enjoyed a luxurious meal

the comfort of home-cooked food after days on

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 rock bottom, I'm

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

him to do hard labor for food was

necessity, he had turned to scavenging, a dangerous and unglamorous

reduced to a pitiful state, it was