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.

cramped space could suffocate the spirit if endured for too

ease the stress, they

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

seeds on the

of such pastimes,

and noticing Jasper's furrowed brow, Stella asked, "What's

sea. "I've got this

someone who'd

horizon with

"Our binoculars aren't

watching us from afar, and we just haven't spotted them?" Without evidence but trusting his gut, Jasper felt

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

hundred countries, and despite the

slightly. "To

mused, "Maybe I'm just

they took a deep breath and the submarine

away from that area, with Rosie and Cooper monitoring from their

No disturbances, for now.

a hundred nautical

fell, and the bottom

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

was referring to human-caused

human conflicts, most countries tried to save the

dropped their national façades, it could lead

if you didn't provoke

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

thoughts lead to

being besieged, the submarine breached and flooding, water rising to her

was trapped under the hatch, struggling in vain to open

body jerked awake in the

arms enveloped her.

for breath, she buried her face in his

patted her back gently, and

time, it was barely

sleep after drinking the water,

eventually, her