18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 276

Angela could never have fathomed the hidden truth behind her parents' death. They hadn't succumbed to a heat stroke; they had been starved to death.

The children, frightened into submission, spilled everything.

No one could have predicted the calamity would last this long. At first, there was peace in the family, but soon, greed took over.

The eldest brother accused the younger of eating more than his share, while the younger suspected the elder of hoarding warm clothes. In the end, they each resorted to dipping into their parents' life supplies.

Reluctantly, the family divided. Deprived of compassion, they manipulated and exploited their parents, leaving them without any supplies. Each brother felt wronged, blaming their parents for being selfish and not evenly splitting their resources.

Guarding their separate stashes of food, neither brother stepped down, allowing their parents to starve to death. But they had their pride, and so they fabricated a more respectable cause for their parents' deaths.

Angela, upon learning the truth, lost her mind. She stormed into her brother's house, beating the life out of them. Had military personnel not intervened, there might have been casualties.

During the chaos and emotional turmoil, Angela miscarried, bleeding profusely. Fortunately, there was a doctor at the base camp who managed to save her life. But due to lack of medicine for immediate treatment, she developed repeated infections, and her once robust health took a severe hit. To add to the complications, Angela was evicted from the base due to the violent nature of her actions.

With no other choice, the trio was forced to return to Griffith to scrape out a living. In order to survive, they had to resort to their old ways.

Stella could only sigh at their fate. They had left with hope, only to return battered and bruised.

Lukas had to continue his patrols and couldn't stay in the vehicle for too long. With a bitter laugh, he stepped out and walked away.

Before he went too far, he turned back and said, "Forgot to tell you, Cody found a partner."

Stella blinked, "Is she old lady?"

"We were scavenging when he saved a lady. In gratitude, she invited us for dinner and ended up getting a bit too drunk and slept with Cody."

The lady seemed to enjoy it and so, Cody and she were together for a while.

"She's three years older than him. Quite capable, used to lead a team. When the team grew too big and unruly, she decided to go lone wolf."

Probably tired of being alone, she started sleeping with men.

"It's been over six months, but she hasn't made any commitments. No one knows how much longer it will last."

Lukas gave Stella an address, suggesting she should visit sometime.

As Lukas' figure receded in the distance, Stella sat in the car for a while before driving home. Upon her arrival, her dog bounded out, frantically pawing at her.

Jasper came downstairs, "What happened? You're late."

"Nothing, I just dropped Dr. Collin off at Swan Hill." Stella paused, "On the way back, I ran into Lukas."

Lukas? Jasper was surprised. Shouldn't she be happy to see an old friend? Instead, she seemed troubled.

"Did something happen to them?"

Sitting on the sofa, Stella recounted the story.

Jasper listened, his expression calm. "In times of disaster, every lower-class family will go through this. Even if Angela's parents hadn't died, their family would have had to face this situation eventually."

Parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews, not everyone can withstand the tests of the apocalypse. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Jasper held her hand, "Everyone has their own path. We just need to take care of ourselves."

Stella thought so too.

The joy of their reunion was quickly eclipsed by complexity. If it were the past, she might have gone to see Angela immediately. But she didn't. She even started to wonder, when should she go see Angela? What should she say when she did?

Two years had passed, and not only had Lukas changed, Angela had suffered both mentally and physically. Was she still the optimistic and positive girl who used to approach things with a carefree attitude?

Stella even worried that her presence might create a stark contrast, making Angela uncomfortable.

Two years might not seem like a long time, but for some, it felt longer than a lifetime. Back at the 18th floor, everyone started at the same point, and their emotional journey was much simpler.

As they turned off the lights to sleep, Stella discussed with Jasper, "I want to go see Angela tomorrow. Do you want to come?"

"Where do they live?"

Stella mentioned the address Lukas had given.

Jasper thought for a moment, "That place is chaotic, full of survivors from the lower classes. It's basically a slum."

Having lived in Newtown for several months, Stella had a fair idea about the surroundings. That area, close to the edge of the city, was indeed a lot more harsh due to its cheaper rent.

"I'll accompany you, but I won't go up."

Firstly, his previous relationship with the the people living in 1803 were merely professional, not personal. Secondly, he was not good with words. With him around, Angela might not feel comfortable opening up to Stella.

Stella agreed, "I'll go alone. You stay back and look after Rosie and Cooper."

"It's too far, and it's not safe for you to walk alone."

The next day, Stella gathered some herbs, all known for helping recover from miscarriage and gynecological disorders. She didn't carry anything expensive, just fast-growing herbs. She would decide on the next steps after assessing the situation.

People living in Building 50 had a notorious reputation, and no one dared to provoke them lately. If they ran into anyone from Building 50 on the road, they would take a detour.

Jasper, along with Cooper and Rosie, drove Stella to Southern Street in the southern part of the town in their Hummer.

Garbage was strewn everywhere, and sewage ran down the streets. Children, barely clothed, played around the buildings. As soon as the car stopped, numerous eyes turned their way.

Stella, dressed in worn-out clothes, still felt uneasy, "Come pick me up in an hour." She pulled out a butcher's knife from her bag and stepped into the cramped building.

The hallway and stairs were cluttered with junk, forcing people to sidestep to navigate. The stench was everywhere.

Despite the squalor, there were many eyes watching, mostly belonging to the elderly and children, their clothes torn and eyes dull.

An endless gloom permeated the building, a chill creeping up from the floor.

When she finally reached the 5th floor, Stella knocked for what seemed like an eternity before a hoarse voice from within asked, "Who is it?"

Stella was taken aback, "Angela?"

After a while, the door creaked open, revealing a gaunt and weary face. Stella thought she had the wrong apartment, but it was indeed Angela.

This hardly looked like Angela. Her face withered and turned pale, and she even coughed to the point of being unsteady on her feet.

The former National Collegiate Boxing Champion, Angela, who could send a man flying with just a punch, and who once killed a wild boar with her bare hands, now looked as thin as a skeleton.

Her thighs, once thicker than Lukas' waist, had also gone. The clothes hanging on her body looked empty and deflated.

Angela was taken aback. "Stella?"