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."

reduced to a destitute beggar by

in the cab, so Bran had to settle for

worst 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 way

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

base and drove up to the

and cashing

workers some time to clean, and after weighing, they earned 3000 credits minus the

steel could sustain a

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

the credits. She went straight to the base's store and

ten packs could last

Robinson Crusoe situation,

coal for sale but decided to save up and buy a whole load at once, for the

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

was eager to return home and

a word,

deep breath inwardly, not

on the way back to

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 them safe anymore.

aback, not expecting the usually covetous Stella to offer the

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

probably head out scavenging again after a

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

compound and exchanging goodbyes without

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

their dog enjoyed a

comfort of home-cooked food after

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 surplus. What do you

Goldbridge except Bran. With all the disasters, looking

asking him to

he had turned to scavenging, a dangerous and

a pitiful state, it