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.

dim lighting, and cramped space could

ease the stress, they surfaced

Arcadia, the warmth of the sun, the open view, and soothing music softened the moods of the

cracking sunflower seeds on the deck

of such pastimes, took turns patrolling

finishing with the seeds and noticing Jasper's furrowed brow, Stella

at the sea. "I've

officer's instinct, especially as someone who'd lived two lives,

the horizon with binoculars

her, "Our

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

that's what kept them comfortable. But as ordinary people with limited resources, they couldn't ignore that others

countries, and despite the catastrophic disasters, the will to survive was

frowned slightly. "To see Rosie

mused, "Maybe I'm just

deep breath

They moved the submarine away from that area, with Rosie and Cooper monitoring

No disturbances, for now.

a hundred nautical miles, they

the bottom of the sea

the bedroom, flipping through a magazine she couldn't focus on, Stella shared her worry,

was referring to

human conflicts,

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

you didn't provoke

to see the future, Stella comforted herself,

thoughts lead to

the submarine breached and flooding, water rising to

in vain to open it as cold seawater filled

body jerked awake

Jasper's arms enveloped her. "Bad

she buried her face

back gently, and handed her a warm

time, it

sleep after drinking the water, tossing and turning

pillow, and eventually, her