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."

not going to

snuggled against him. "I had a dream

just dreams. They don't mean

Rosie trembled. "Our uncle and cousins... they were

raising his voice. "Rosie, dreams

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 play tricks. Stella and I won't let

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

of it. "No way. Stella has been looking after you for years. You're going to

at the door, holding a glass of warm

of fever reducer, Rosie finally fell into a fitful

he brewed a cup of coffee and stared out the observation window at the marine

wrapping her arms around him from behind. "I'm so sorry.

fault. It's just one of those freak accidents of nature. Besides, if it weren't for you,

Arcadia, even with all

plans and precautions are nothing against the

Stella, no matter 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 extra day we live is

to him, tears

her tears. "Where's that

"I'm scared now."

forehead. "Don't be. I'm here.

sister, Jasper didn't

take over. "Go

from the heat. Stella gave her antiviral medication, herbal remedies to boost her immune system, and hung a few IV bags. After half a bowl of chicken soup, Rosie's spirits lifted noticeably. She looked over

you

you were pregnant, and you had a