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 die. I won't let

had

dreams. They

felt so real." Rosie trembled. "Our uncle and

voice. "Rosie, dreams are

wasn't just a dream; the pain was too vivid. 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

had come to her rescue, giving her medicine and care. "Brother, if I

wouldn't hear of it. "No way. Stella has been looking after you for years. You're going

a glass of warm water, hesitating

shot of fever reducer, Rosie finally fell into a

brewed a cup of coffee and stared out the observation window

behind. "I'm so sorry. It's

turned, holding her tightly. "It's not your fault. It's just one of those freak accidents of nature. Besides, if it weren't for you, we might not have made it out safely. Don't be so hard

be so brutal. Without Stella, without her Arcadia, even with all

are unpredictable. All the human plans and precautions are nothing against the

me, 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

to him, tears

tears. "Where's that fearless Stella I used

"I'm scared now."

be. I'm

didn't leave her

take over. "Go get

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

you dream

pregnant, and you had a boy for