18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 472

The world is like a rolling ball of water-round and always drifting. If you're lucky enough, you might just find yourself back where you started. Stella, sipping on a steaming cup of hot cocoa, mused, "Head north, and who knows? Maybe one day we'll hit the Arctic and see some seals."

"Seals?" Rosie had seen them on TV and felt a surge of excitement, hoping to catch a glimpse of those adorable, clumsy creatures in real life. But alongside that excitement, a sliver of worry crept in. With nature's wrath so fierce, could any seals have survived? "There's always hope," Stella said with a reassuring smile. "Maybe we'll get lucky and see some polar bears too."

Life in the submarine was monotonous, but the spirits of the trio and their loyal dog were high. They kept themselves busy with exercise, reading, and watching movies.

Rosie, flipping through a baking book, finally managed to bake bear-shaped cookies after several failed attempts-some chocolate, some matcha-flavored. She even baked one that looked like Cooper, their dog.

As she crunched into it in front of him, she beamed, "Mmm, this is delicious, bro and sis!"

Cooper, however, was not amused and gave her the cold shoulder for two days. After a string of apologies and several leg-shaped treats, Cooper finally forgave her.

Stella, meanwhile, immersed herself in the art of healing, focusing on massage and acupuncture, often using Jasper as her unwilling guinea pig.

A month had passed, drifting with the currents. One morning, Stella was just waking up when Rosie's voice, filled with surprise, rang out, "It's snowing! Snowing over the sea!"

It was twenty below zero, and delicate snowflakes were falling from the sky, vanishing into the vast blue ocean. Stella had never seen snow over the sea and, on a whim, brought the submarine to the surface.

Dressed in thermal wear topped with a fur coat, she stepped out for a breath of fresh air. The cold bit into her lungs, sharp and uncomfortable. Quickly, Stella pulled out a mask made of thermal fabric, making the chill more bearable. Snowflakes danced down, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, disappearing as they hit the sea. Jasper brushed the snowflakes from Stella's lashes, chuckling, "Cold?"

"Not at all," she replied.

The group, along with their dog, spent over two hours on the sea surface-taking photos, roasting sweet potatoes over a charcoal fire, and even sipping coffee.

and the snowflakes became larger. Soon, a thin layer of ice began to form on the sea. If they continued north, the ice

continue the adventure. Stella was indifferent; wandering was her way of life. Jasper didn't mind, as long as he was with his family. Rosie, however, yearned for a different life than the one she'd known. "Bro, sis, if the ice thickens,

had experienced extreme cold, especially after the floods, and the impression of

Arctic freezes over again,

Arcadia; food and shelter were no concern, and for the cold, there was thermal wear. Having survived

по

if the Arctic wasn't outrageously

might just manage.

ground beneath her feet, even if that ground was a glacier. And Cooper, eager to run, wagged his tail

the decision was unanimous: onward

took their time, drifting leisurely. Stella sat on the yacht, admiring the snowy seascape through the window, and pulled out warm snow boots, scarves, and gloves from Arcadia. The yacht, not ideal for winter voyages, had a chilly deck, so they

take turns steering, but he was reluctant. "No need; we'll rest when it's

they ventured further north, the ice grew thicker. After two or three days, the yacht struggled to break through the ice. The yacht was no icebreaker and

Stella to risk, so she brought out a sturdy

the

cautious by nature, Stella tied everyone together with a rope. With the fishing boat stowed away, they donned goggles and

faced only the challenge of the blizzard. The snow wasn't deep yet, just ankle-high, making it easy

braving the

a Hummer from Arcadia, and they all huddled inside to rest. A hot drink to warm up, and once they were toasty, Stella crafted a

thermal fabric.

the fabric onto a dog muzzle, cutting small holes for

restraints, but too much cold air was bad for his health. Wary of his resistance, Stella gently fitted

shoes, she might have