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.

bizarre creatures, dim lighting, and cramped space could suffocate the spirit if endured

ease the stress, they

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

sunflower seeds on

not fans of such

finishing with the seeds and noticing Jasper's

at the sea. "I've got this feeling

especially as someone who'd lived two lives,

scanned the horizon with

reminded her, "Our binoculars aren't the

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

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

countries, and despite the catastrophic disasters, the will to

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

"Maybe I'm just

they took a deep breath and the submarine

away from that area,

No disturbances, for now.

a hundred nautical miles, they dropped anchor

and the bottom of the

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

referring to

even amidst severe human conflicts,

threats and dropped their national façades, it

if you didn't provoke others, they might come

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

lead to nighttime

being besieged, the submarine breached and flooding, water rising

struggling in vain to open it as cold seawater filled

body jerked awake in the

Jasper's arms enveloped her.

breath, she buried her

a light, patted her back gently, and handed her

it was barely

after drinking the water,

as a pillow, and eventually, her breathing evened out to the rhythm of