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."

a wealthy family, now reduced to a destitute beggar by natural disasters. Fate had a cruel sense of

the cab, so Bran had to settle for sitting on a

moment exposed to someone he knew was a nightmare come true. But what could he do? He climbed aboard, the truck bouncing him all

the fallen rich kid sat atop a pile of garbage, numb to the jostling of the vehicle, his

and drove up

and

steel took the workers some time to clean, and after

truckload of steel could sustain a family for a

meant no prying questions about where the steel came

She went straight to the base's store

pods, these ten packs could

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

credits left, Stella spotted coal for sale but decided to save up and buy a whole load at once, for the day when it might

other supplies, aside from a submarine, Stella had almost

days on the road, the family was eager

word, probably

breath inwardly, not sure what to

the way back to their private compound,

some meds with me a while back. With things as chaotic as they are, I can't keep them safe anymore. When do you

the usually covetous Stella to

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

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

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

giving him the address to the compound and

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

and their dog enjoyed a luxurious meal after their refreshing

beat the comfort of home-cooked food after days on the

us a lot

hurry, probably all in Goldbridge except Bran. With all the

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

to scavenging, a

pitiful state, it was