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."

wealthy family, now reduced to a destitute

had to settle for

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

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

and drove up to the recycling

trading, and

time to clean, and after weighing, they

steel could sustain a family

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

didn't plan to keep the credits. She went straight to the base's store and bought supplies-ten

pods, these ten

of a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation, it

but decided to save up and buy a whole load

supplies, aside from a submarine, Stella

was eager to return home

word, probably

inwardly, not

way back to their private compound,

moment's thought, she pulled over and stuck 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

not expecting the usually covetous Stella

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

probably head out scavenging again after a short

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

and exchanging

drive away, feeling his heart, already

the trio and their dog

home-cooked food after days on the

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

family had left in a hurry, probably all in Goldbridge except

and his prideful nature, asking him to do hard labor

of necessity, he had turned to scavenging,

to a pitiful state, it was a