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.

could suffocate the

the stress,

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

sunflower seeds on the deck

of such pastimes,

seeds and noticing Jasper's furrowed

"I've got this feeling

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

with binoculars

"Our

strange ocean creatures and the mutated Iran, Stella shivered. "You mean someone might be watching us from afar, and we just

people with limited resources, they couldn't ignore that others might have far superior gear. Ordinary folks might lack the means, but what about groups or

world had over two hundred countries, and despite

watch us?" Stella frowned slightly.

"Maybe I'm

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

the submarine away from that

No disturbances, for now.

traveling a hundred nautical miles, they dropped

the bottom of the

through a magazine she couldn't focus on, Stella shared her worry, "Do you think it'll get harder from

referring to

severe human conflicts,

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

provoke others, they might come

see the future, Stella comforted herself, "There's always

lead

the submarine breached and flooding, water

vain to open it as cold seawater filled

awake in the

enveloped her.

her

on a light, patted her back gently, and handed her a warm

time, it was barely 1

sleep after drinking the water, tossing and turning

her breathing evened out to the