18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 78

Katie was getting on in years, and her heart couldn't handle the stress. Moreover, that guy wasn't the only one going mad in the apartment building. So, she made a decisive move to the 17th floor. Although there had been killings on the 18th floor, they were committed in self-defense and were far more reasonable than others.

Not only did the two families move their belongings up, but they also removed their stainless steel doors, wanting to create a safe fortress like the 18th floor had, complete with three doors in the staircase. But, they lacked the necessary tools, so they knocked on the 18th floor for help.

Stella didn't hurry to answer but looked towards Jasper, Cody, and the rest. Arcadia had tools, but Stella couldn't lend them out.

Jasper had a handheld impact drill, and apartment 1803 had an acetylene torch for spot welding. However, people could be wicked, and moving to the 17th floor showed they were seeking asylum. Throwing out a free olive branch would only foster a dependency.

The residents of the 18th floor weren’t saviors, protecting themselves was hard enough, let alone others. Still, having three more doors in the staircase would benefit the 18th floor, providing a buffer in case of an attack.

They just needed to maintain a balance in their interactions with the 17th floor.

A silent exchange of glances between the 18th floor residents and a consensus was quickly reached.

"The impact drill is almost out of power, and we don't have much acetylene left. You can borrow them, but when will you return them?" Stella asked, choking the other two families into silence.

Katie sensed what Stella meant. "Young lady, we have to look out for each other, seeing as we are living so close to each other. These items are indeed special, and we can't return them immediately. How about we offer other items to hold as collateral?"

"Alright, discuss it amongst yourselves."

In the end, Katie offered a bracelet, the Palmer family, who had a child, offered a jade statue, and the family in 1703 presented a gold necklace.

Stella, on behalf of the 18th floor, accepted the items and handed over the impact drill and acetylene torch to the 17th floor residents. She also sent Lukas and Cody to provide technical guidance, insisting the doors be sturdy and secure. Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

In addition, the 17th floor residents requested access to the rooftop to collect snow for water. The rooftop was communal, and the two floors had established a cooperative relationship, so refusing them access seemed unreasonable. However, each visit would require opening the door and could pose a risk to the 18th floor.

Stella considered. "Every day at four in the afternoon, only one person can come up. Decide amongst yourselves who that will be."

Only one person?

The 17th floor residents weren’t happy about this, but they were in a weaker position than the 18th floor residents. After some discussion, they assigned the task to Mikey.

After the staircase doors were installed, Lukas returned with three keys. "Going out and coming back won't be easy anymore; we'll have to pass through six doors."

Furthermore, the 17th floor residents offered a skateboard, and in exchange, Lukas decided to give them his three-pound box of nails to weld their doors, providing an added sense of security.

In the meantime, the Moore family decided to go chop wood the next day.

In the freezing weather, it was unbearable to stay indoors without firewood. Despite having collected quite a bit, it quickly ran out as they burned it from dawn till dusk.

The survivors could have managed a little longer, but the stark absence of trees along the southern coast, and the depleted reserves of furniture and firewood within the city, compelled them to journey into the mountains in pursuit of firewood. Ivywood Estates was surrounded by mountains, but they were too far away. Even a day's walk wouldn't be enough to go there and back. The nearest was Griffith Mountain, where the early bird got the worm.

Lukas and Cody had a strong sense of danger and felt the need to stockpile. "Stella, are you going?"

Stella shrugged. "I don't feel like moving. We'll talk about it in a few days."

Jasper also decided to stay in, not inclined to go out to chop wood.

The whole of 1803 set out, with Lukas brandishing a foldable mechanical saw blade, ready to make his mark. Cooper wanted to go out and wander, but his owner, Stella wouldn't allow it.

In the morning, Stella watched from the balcony as the 1803 residents, fully armed, set out.

They were wrapped up so tightly that it was hard to tell who was who. Suddenly, several figures dashed out from Building 8, trying to snatch Lukas' coat.

Inside the coat was a mink coat. Lukas wasn't about to let them succeed. He raised his wooden stick studded with rusty nails and started to fight, roaring in rage, "Come on, if you're not afraid of death, then come and get it!"

Damn, they were all bullying him, thinking he was an easy target!

Stella, standing on the balcony, couldn't help but laugh. Lukas was the weakest on the 18th floor, but after months of hardship and hard work, he had come a long way.

Being the weakest on the 18th floor didn't mean he couldn't fight when he went out. Look at him, the weakest link was biting back.

His unexpected attack left the people from Building 8 dumbfounded. They were really unlucky today, having run into such a tough opponent as soon as they left their building.

After getting punched by a woman and knocked down, they finally ran in fear. "Run, it's the devils from the 18th floor!" Damn, they must have picked an unlucky day to go out. Why did they have to run into these demons?

No matter how good-natured or optimistic a person was, the harsh conditions of the apocalypse could make anyone sick. Lukas managed to knock down a few of them, feeling a significant release from his pent-up frustration.

So what if it was a fight to the death? He could handle it well too!

Once the 1803 residents had left, Stella returned to the living room for some breakfast, hot milk, and bread.

Cooper's appetite was growing. After finishing his dog food, he still wanted a slice of bread. At first, Stella worried he would get fat and become clumsy, but surprisingly, he only gained muscle, not fat, and his fur was thick and smooth.

Stella patted her own stomach, feeling like she was one step closer to a six-pack.

It’s not a good idea to sit still in the freezing cold, so Jasper halted Rosie's lessons. Stella had a lot of free time and continued to read and do exercises. She practiced with Jasper at designated times.

Lukas and the others didn't return until it was almost dark. They cut down trees and sawed them into suitable lengths, then used hemp rope to tie them together and drag them back.

The ice was too slippery, and they fell a few times on the way, ending up in a sorry state.

The trees had been frozen to death but hadn't dried out completely, making them especially heavy to drag.

As they returned safely, Stella opened the door and went downstairs to help, followed by Cooper. Rosie didn't want to be left out either. "Wait for me, Stella. Wait for me, Cooper."

She was wearing a red thermal suit, with two buns on her head and her ears protected by fluffy earmuffs, looking soft and cute.

The window at the staircase was inconvenient to use, and apartment 702 was empty. Someone had smashed the living room window, making it much easier to get in and out.

Stella was reluctant, but the firewood the 1803 residents collected had been dragged to this side, so she had to crawl out from 702.

Prepared for the sight, she couldn't help but glance into the distance, where a pile of corpses lay. Those were the bodies of people whose living family members wanted to give their deceased loved ones a final gesture of dignity.

Others with no regard for decency simply threw the bodies down the building. Like Hector, who threw Amanda’s body, and his accomplices that Amanda had killed. It had to be said, that bastard was lucky to survive all this.

The firewood was heavy, and it took several trips to move it all. Cooper, with his short limbs, and Rosie, picking the lighter pieces, raced against each other, hopping, and skipping around.

Two legs were no match for four legs, Cooper was running fast. Rosie even lost her earmuffs in the process.

By the final trip, the sky had succumbed to the night, and the weather grew bitterly cold.

Stella extracted a rock from her bag and hurled it with all her might at Hector's window. Months of physical training had enhanced her arm strength remarkably, and her daily crossbow practice had improved her aim significantly.

With a loud crash, the window glass shattered. There seemed to be no response from inside Hector's house, which was as dark as a cave.

The others heard the commotion but remained indifferent. In these times, murder had become as common as apple pie, let alone breaking a window.

As long as the trouble didn't find its way to their own homes, they could care less about who had died!