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

ease the stress,

the open view, and soothing music softened the moods of

sat cracking sunflower seeds on

fans of such pastimes, took turns patrolling

seeds and noticing Jasper's furrowed brow, Stella

out at the sea. "I've got this feeling

especially as someone who'd lived two lives, wasn't to be

scanned the horizon with binoculars

"Our

and the mutated Iran, Stella shivered. "You mean someone might be watching us from afar, and we just haven't spotted them?"

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

over two hundred countries, and despite the catastrophic disasters, the will

us?" Stella frowned slightly. "To see Rosie and

mused, "Maybe I'm just being

a deep breath and the

that area,

No disturbances, for now.

nautical miles, they

bottom

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

referring to human-caused

even amidst severe human

if they faced survival threats and dropped their national façades, it could lead to even greater catastrophes.

if you didn't provoke

Stella comforted herself, "There's always a

lead

submarine breached and flooding, water

under the hatch, struggling in vain to

jerked awake

enveloped her.

for breath, she buried her face

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

it was

sleep after drinking the water,

pillow, and eventually, her breathing evened out