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

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

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

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

the base and drove up to the recycling

and cashing

and after weighing,

sustain a

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

the credits. She went straight to the

ten packs

a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation, it was better to be

and

aside from a submarine, Stella

the road, the family was eager to return home and clean

without a word, probably

a deep breath inwardly, not sure

on the way back to their private

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

taken aback, not expecting the usually covetous

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

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

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

him the address to the compound and exchanging goodbyes without much

drive away, feeling his heart,

at the compound, the trio and their dog

comfort of home-cooked

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,

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

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

he had turned to scavenging, a dangerous and unglamorous

surrounded by beauty and luxury, now reduced to a pitiful state, it was a poignant reminder