18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 386

Stella never thought she'd run into an old friend at the Kindle Society-a guy named Sam.

Sam pushed through the doors, clearly stunned to find not just one but two familiar faces in such an unexpected place. His surprise was evident, a bright smile spreading across his face. Stella raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You guys are here too?"

Sam's grin had a hint of sadness. "No, it's just me and a few of the guys from the old block."

Stella's curiosity piqued. "What about Mark and your dad?"

"Deputy Mayor Howard took the folks from Griffith over to Goldbridge. My dad and the rest are all there... It's just that we..."

Parents always want the best for their kids, to lay down the foundation for their future.

Christian didn't want to be a burden on his son, so he suggested that Sam head to the Kindle Society. It wasn't just him. Any young, able-bodied person from the Eastwood Eden community was encouraged to join the Society. Sam and his dad had been each other's rock for years, but with his father getting on in years and natural disasters wreaking havoc, who knew how much time they had left.

Sam disagreed with leaving, but Christian was adamant. If his son refused to go, he'd rather stay in Griffith and let the volcanic eruptions take him.

Torn between agony and duty, Sam eventually agreed to his father's wishes.

Stella, knowing Sam for years, expressed her concern. "You all made it out okay during the evacuation?"

The mention of the disaster brought back a flood of memories. It was a blessing in disguise, yet thinking about it still sent shivers down his spine.

The satellite collision with Mount Oak came out of nowhere, and the government's decision to evacuate was just as abrupt. Most residents were reluctant, so the evacuation was slow, and complications kept cropping up. They didn't start moving until around noon, and just as they'd made some distance, Mount Oak erupted. The evacuation convoy had to speed up desperately.

After a half-day's journey, as they were about to leave Swan Hill by evening, the volcanic ash had spread, and they could only press on while covering their noses and mouths.

Then, out of nowhere, a once-in-a-century sandstorm hit.

Thankfully, they were still within the city limits, so the buildings slowed the storm's impact. Everyone took shelter inside, avoiding what could have been a catastrophic loss of life.

the

spared from landslides, dodging three disasters in a

rain stopped, the

to bid farewell to their elders, holding back tears as they

tests were incredibly stringent; they all failed and had to settle for labor assignments within the base. Coming from Eastwood Eden, the young group stuck together, pooling their earned credits and the supplies they'd scrimped and saved over the years to

there today to buy

survive, not just for themselves, but also to honor their parents' hopes and sacrifices. Thinking of how his father had entrusted him with the bulk of

live on, to honor his father, to have the chance

"One day,

purchase the escape pod. Walking back, Stella frowned slightly, then couldn't help

looked puzzled.

glanced around. "I feel like

sensed it too. "With the kind of credits we're talking about, it's hard not to attract

Stella said, unable to shake the odd feeling that this wasn't

alert, though he didn't notice

I'm just

at their little homestead, Jasper got to work

mid-sized sub, capable of withstanding storms at sea, complete with riveting capabilities, and several control

be separated in a major disaster, so Stella didn't hesitate. "Since we're

Cooper barked in agreement.

and precautions, he gave an oral

submarine was moored at a deep-sea dock, a place off-limits to

advance, and the military would send someone to

up early, had breakfast, packed

waiting for about ten minutes, a military jeep pulled up, and the

the same

soldier greeted them with

"You're picking

rare metal, solving a crisis at the military factory, the brass wanted to meet you to express their gratitude." Stella frowned. "It was a deal. You've