18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 427

Stella and Jasper scrambled to their feet as Cooper whimpered and dashed into Rosie's room.

Jasper hurried inside to find his little sister burning up with a fever, her face flushed and hot to the touch.

They used the thermometer-it read nearly 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stella quickly unwrapped the bandage from Rosie's hand. The bite from the beach flea was swollen, but thankfully, not infected. Who knew beach fleas could pack such a punch?

They checked her heartbeat, oxygen levels, and pulse. Her heart was steady, oxygen at 93, but her pulse was fast and weak.

Stella coaxed her to swallow some fever reducer while Jasper fiddled with the oxygen concentrator. "Rosie, come on, wake up."

Rosie cracked open her eyes, her voice barely a whisper. "Brother, I feel awful."

Once the oxygen was set, Jasper slipped the mask over her. "It's just a fever. You'll be okay, don't be scared."

Arcadia had a few lab machines, but without the right chemicals, they couldn't run a blood test.

Stella pulled out the EKG monitor to check Rosie's heart-thankfully, no issues there. But the fever was relentless, sending shivers through her body, followed by bouts of vomiting. How could one little bite lead to this?

The fever reducer worked for less than two hours before the heat flared up again, forcing them to resort to physical methods to cool her down.

Rosie looked up at Jasper. "Brother, am I going to die?"

"No way, you're just sick. The medicine will kick in soon."

"But it hurts so much." She clutched his hand, tears suddenly spilling over. "Brother, I can't bear the thought of leaving you, Stella, and Cooper."

her close. "You're not going to die. I won't let

"I had a dream

are just dreams. They

so real." Rosie trembled. "Our

his voice. "Rosie, dreams

She couldn't understand why she would dream such things after all, Jasper had taken her away nearly a decade ago, and she could barely remember their faces. In her dream, all she saw were snarling visages. Jasper held his sister, patting her back, trying to soothe her. "You're just feverish, making your mind

had come to her rescue, giving her medicine and care. "Brother, if I die, promise to look after Stella, and take

looking after you for years. You're going to grow

silently at the door, holding a

fever reducer, Rosie finally

of coffee and stared out the observation window at the marine life gliding through the ocean, lost in

from behind.

one of those freak accidents of nature. Besides, if it weren't for you, we might not have made

could have predicted the disaster would be so brutal. Without Stella, without her Arcadia, even with all his preparations, escaping with Rosie would have been a disaster, maybe even

plans and precautions

what happens, you've got to keep on living. Don't blame yourself, and don't feel powerless. You've done more than enough. Every

clung to him, tears falling

"Where's that fearless

"I'm scared now."

forehead. "Don't be. I'm here. We're all

didn't leave her side

to take over. "Go get some

and hung a few IV bags. After half a bowl of chicken soup, Rosie's spirits lifted noticeably. She looked over at Stella, a weak smile on her face. Sick as she was,

you dream

you were pregnant, and you