18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Lukas approached Stella with a proposal, "Hey Stella, our place is like Grand Central Station-everyone's always around, and we've got no room to store supplies. Can we stash our stuff at your place until we find a spot?" Stella was cool with it. "Sure thing, I've got some connections here. If you guys are craving a steak or something, just let me know in advance, and I'll see if I can trade for it."

The gang was thrilled, feeling a fresh wave of hope wash over their tough lives.

After they had eaten their fill, Cody got down to business. "Stella, we're thinking of quitting the neighborhood watch." Now that they weren't scraping by, putting life and limb on the line didn't seem worth it.

Stella was genuinely happy for them. "That's great news. These dark times are way too risky. Once we weather this storm, you can always look for work again."

Once the meal was over and they had played a few rounds of cards with Cooper, it was time to say goodbye.

Stella handed over some lentils and chickpeas for them to take home-sprouting them for a change of pace from the constant diet of cornmeal porridge.

As they were leaving, she fished out a set of keys from her pocket. "The house is pretty secure, and I reckon it'll stay quiet for a while. My other place is just sitting empty, so feel free to crash there until we need to figure something else out." With their performance today, she knew that if the day ever came when the neighborhood fell, she trusted them to do right by her.

But Cody declined, "Thanks, but that's a lot to ask of you. Besides, we're not doing too bad now. We'll find a bigger place when the time comes."

After closing the gate behind them, Stella sat on the couch. Her earlier smiles and warmth were replaced by a touch of uncertainty.

Jasper came over. "What's up?"

After a moment, Stella shared her concerns. "I took the helicopter and fuel for myself. Do you think that's unfair?"

"We were after that stuff from the start. If we split it all now, what happens the next time something like this comes up?" Jasper felt it needed to be said, even if it might upset Stella. "We've all changed, Stella. It's not about being selfish or greedy. It's just that our needs and interests are different now."

Back in the day, on the 18th floor, they were all in it together. But times had changed. Cody and Kitty had their own crew now.

"I believe you still care about Cody and the rest, and they care about you. But the world's changed, and so have our goals."

He didn't fault Cody and the others; life just had different levels now, and stockpiling supplies together like in the old days didn't fit anymore.

He didn't see Stella as greedy. "If you insist on splitting everything equally, it might make them overlook that even friendship has boundaries. If they get used to it, you might end up like Angela, and they'll become her brother and sister-in-law."

An unequal share would make them reflect on their own needs. Stella probably knew this deep down, which is why she claimed the helicopter and fuel. Jasper's words helped her see things more clearly.

"You've had issues with my decisions for a while, haven't you? Why do you still put up with me?"

"You're my wife. Who else would I put up with?" In a world without marriage certificates, Jasper had long considered Stella his true wife.

"Thanks, Jasper," Stella said, resting her head on his shoulder. "If I ever get out of line, let me know, okay?"

As they shared a moment, Jasper teased, "How are you gonna thank me?"

"How do you want me to thank you?" she played along.

With a mischievous grin, Jasper suggested, "Call me daddy?"

Stella laughed and whispered into his ear, "Daddy."

Rosie and Cooper were still playing downstairs when the adrenaline-fueled Jasper scooped her up. "Enough excitement for now. Let's celebrate properly." He closed the door and turned on the lights.

...

After a crackdown, the outside became much quieter, and there hadn't been any trespassers scaling the walls of the neighborhood for several days.

The residents of the neighborhood had adapted to the prolonged darkness and developed keen ears. Sometimes, they could identify who it was just by the sound of footsteps. Different heights, sizes, ages, and types of shoes produced distinct sounds, not to mention the contrast between regular residents and intruders.

Some residents, finding humor in their situation, even made bets during their patrol duties, playing a game of guessing based on the sound of footsteps. The losers would buy cigarettes or offer a serving of peanuts.

In the pitch-black darkness, a familiar dog barking could be heard from outside. Cooper immediately stood up, feeling a bit excited as his tail wagged. It seemed that Cooper really liked Buddy. Stella let him out for some fun-standard rules, just within the yard. When she opened the door, she saw Buddy wasn't alone; he was pulling a wheelchair. In the wheelchair was a... white mummy.

Upon closer inspection with a flashlight, Stella realized it was Bran, all bandaged up, and she almost burst out laughing. "What happened to you?"

"Have you no heart?" Bran cried out, "I got beaten up pretty bad."

Stella was puzzled. "Are all your limbs broken?" He didn't seem that badly hurt when they rescued him.

Bran was frustrated. "Those minor injuries healed ages ago. This is from my old man's beating."

Oh, right, Bran had it coming!

Bran was there to settle scores; he was furious. "You're ruthless. You outright asked for a helicopter." If only she had asked for less, he wouldn't have ended up like this.

Stella calmly retorted, "Is your life really that cheap that it's not worth one helicopter?"

Of course not!

Bran was at a loss for words, and his face turned red with anger. "But you can't just ask for 100 tons of fuel. You might as well ask for my life!"

Stella was at her wit's end. "Seriously, without fuel, what's the point of having a helicopter? Just for decoration?"

Bran didn't care one bit; his heart was already trampled beyond recognition. Little did he know, Stella had a sharper barb ready. "When are you jetting off again? Who knows, maybe I'll score myself another helicopter." Bran felt like he was about to have an aneurysm!

Stella didn't bother to coddle his fragile ego. Instead, she asked with a hint of curiosity, "Did you manage to find Lindsay?"