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. Fate

room left in the cab, so Bran had to settle for

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

of garbage, numb to the jostling of

the base and drove up to the recycling

and cashing

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

sustain

meant no prying questions about

didn't plan to keep the credits. She went straight to the base's store

these ten packs could last for

a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation, it was better

and buy a whole

other supplies, aside from a submarine,

days on the road, the family was eager to

word, probably

inwardly, not sure what

back to their private compound, they crossed paths

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

expecting the usually covetous Stella to offer the

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

scavenging again after a

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

him the address to the compound and exchanging goodbyes without much fuss, they

the truck drive away, feeling his heart, already battered by the

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

the comfort of home-cooked food after days on the

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 rock bottom, I'm thinking of returning the

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

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

of necessity, he had turned to scavenging, a dangerous

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