18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 429

Jasper might have been clueless before, but after nine years with Stella, he'd picked up on everything he needed to know. Stella didn't hold back. "Yeah, your sister's all grown up."

Jasper paused, feeling a mix of happiness and a touch of melancholy.

"What's wrong?" Stella teased, tapping his chin playfully. "Not thrilled that Rosie's growing up?"

"Of course I'm happy. It's just... time flies, you know?"

Stella chuckled, "Feeling like an old dad who's going to walk his daughter down the aisle soon?"

Jasper opened his mouth, struggled for words, and finally admitted, "Yeah, and you're turning into an old mom, too."

But growing up was something to be celebrated. If their parents could see them from the beyond, they'd surely be comforted.

Raising a child in a post-apocalyptic world was no small feat, especially with Rosie turning out so well-most of the credit went to Stella. He wrapped his arms around Stella and kissed her. "Stella, thank you for all these tough years."

Feeling playful, Stella flirted back, "So, how do you plan to thank me?"

As their kisses deepened, he murmured, "My life for you."

Stella laughed, "What good is your life to me?"

He whispered in her ear, "What about my body, does that work?"

Stella playfully kicked him, "Be serious."

She went to deliver sanitary pads to Rosie and then turned to Jasper with a knowing look. "What are you waiting for? Clean up."

After five days in the submarine, Rosie's period had ended.

Blue Blue's relentless scratching finally paid off, clearing its body of barnacles over the past couple of days, and it hadn't reappeared since.

The silence of the deep sea was eerie, and the initial wonder at observing the marine life had turned to ennui. Not even the prettiest jellyfish or the strangest creatures could stir much excitement in the trio and their dog. Meals were eaten in silence, punctuated only by the clink of cutlery, chewing of food, and the sound of breathing.

Even Cooper's snoring had lost its charm, becoming a source of oppressive irritation.

Stella recognized the signs: deep-sea cabin fever was setting in.

and cramped space could suffocate the spirit if endured

the stress, they

the sun, the open view, and

sat cracking sunflower seeds on the deck of the

fans of such pastimes, took turns patrolling the

seeds and noticing Jasper's furrowed brow, Stella asked,

sea. "I've got this

as someone who'd lived two lives, wasn't

horizon with

her, "Our

shivered. "You mean someone might be watching us from afar, and we just haven't spotted them?" Without evidence

people with limited resources, they couldn't ignore that others might have far superior gear.

despite the catastrophic disasters, the will

they watch us?" Stella frowned slightly. "To see

mused, "Maybe I'm just being

safe than sorry, they took a deep breath and the submarine descended

submarine away from that area, with

No disturbances, for now.

traveling a hundred nautical miles, they dropped

fell, and the bottom of the sea was

on, Stella shared her worry, "Do you think it'll get

was referring to

human conflicts,

"nations," if they faced survival threats and dropped their national façades, it

provoke others, they might

the future, Stella comforted

thoughts lead to nighttime

being besieged, the submarine breached and flooding,

trapped under the hatch, struggling in vain

jerked awake

enveloped her. "Bad

for breath, she buried her face in

light, patted her back gently, and handed her a

time, it was

tried to sleep after drinking the water, tossing and

pillow, and eventually, her breathing evened out to