18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 18

However, the man's raft seemed to be packed with supplies. In these times, he who had more supplies was in danger.

Taking advantage of the blurred visibility, she reached behind to grab two backpacks from Arcadia, and then paddled forward.

This man’s stature and his height looked familiar. It had to be the man from 1801, Jasper. Even with a raincoat and mask on, she recognized him instantly. No wonder Rosie was so healthy. She was being fed by him, who scavenged everyday.

Birds of a feather had nothing to be embarrassed about.

Jasper also recognized the woman in the mask as Stella. He nodded a quick greeting in the pouring rain. After securing his kayak, he reached out to help. Stella was not one to put on airs and passed over the two waterproof backpacks, allowing him to assist her onto the dock before she carefully stowed the rubber boat.

Neither spoke a word as they carried the supplies up the stairs. Jasper had a lot of supplies. He would probably need to take several trips. Stella helped him carry a couple of bags.

Back on the 18th floor, they shared a quick glance before turning to unlock their respective doors.

Once inside, Stella drank a bowl of hot ginger tea sweetened with brown sugar, changed out of her wet clothes, and hurriedly showered and dried her hair. Outside, dawn was breaking and Jasper had already moved all his supplies. She wiped the water stains in the hallway and then knocked on Angela's door.

The couple, thinking they were being robbed, came out brandishing a knife.

Stella handed Angela $2000, speaking in a low voice, “The storm has passed. You should leave quietly as soon as possible. Try not to let anyone notice. The supermarket on University Hill has four floors. It sits on high ground, so it probably isn't completely flooded. I remember that the owner's family lives in the supermarket. They might open for business. Don’t worry about the prices. Just buy food that will keep you full and last a while.”

On her way back, she had purposely detoured to check the supermarket. Its lights were on, and several kayaks were parked outside.

The disaster had caught everyone off guard. Both the supermarkets and wholesale markets were flooded, and it was quite possible that even the national grain reserves in the city had been flooded. Almost all the food was underwater. Even if the military wanted to provide aid, they would be helpless. That’s why there was no aid.

Outside, chaos ensued as people fought for food to survive. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Stella remembered clearly from her previous life. The supermarket had been nationalized by the government and had opened its doors early for limited purchases. The citizens could buy items on a first-come-first-serve basis, cash only. In an era of electronic payments, who still used cash? And how many people had thought to withdraw cash before the storm?

So, those who didn't have cash but wanted to live, had no choice but to resort to violence. Policemen had guns, but who would dare to shoot at starving civilians? And with few bullets, who would they shoot?

They were all human, after all, and no one wanted to commit a crime. People’s money was just numbers, either in the bank or in their PayPal accounts. They couldn't take it out!

One afternoon, Stella swam to the supermarket with a plastic bucket. Everything had been looted, and there were horrifying bloodstains all over the floor and walls.

Angela was startled. "Will the supermarket really open?"

"I can't be sure, but it's better than waiting around." Stella urged, "You should go early. Once the others wake up and come to their senses, there won't be anything left for you."

As if she had just woken from a dream, Angela rushed back into her room with Lukas to change. "Stella, let's go together."

"I still have a bag of rice at home. I’ll pass this time." Stella made an excuse. "Besides, if we all leave, what will happen if someone breaks in? You can spend all the money. If you manage to buy a lot, you can share some with me."

"Sure, we will hurry back."

Angela was still confused. Stella had given them the money, so how could she ask Angela to go out? "Consider it a loan. If I manage to buy something, we can split it."

"Bring something for self-defense, and be careful."

As soon as it was light, Stella hurried them downstairs. She had given them a heads-up. How much they could grab would depend on their luck.

After locking the door, Stella didn't have time to rest. She started organizing Arcadia. She left the solar energy storage box in Arcadia, and the other equipment was moved to a larger room of the house. She took out a pile of supplies from the supermarket, removed the excessive packaging that took up space, then sorted them into large plastic bags or sealed them in cardboard boxes. The important supplies were kept in Arcadia, while snacks and other non-essential items were kept in the house, clearing up several cubic meters of space.

Stella transformed into a packing genius, meticulously organizing over a hundred cubic meters of precious supplies. She wasn't sure how long she would live, but these supplies would last until her

natural death. But who knew what the future held?

If conditions allowed, who wouldn’t want to live a better life, with more abundance and pleasure? It was always good to be prepared.

Her crazed packing even extended to the camper van, which she filled with essential supplies.

Time flew by, and before she knew it, it was past nine. She could feel an unusual commotion downstairs. The storm had passed, but the rain was heavier. It was less threatening, and the young and brave took to the flooded streets, some with buckets or basins, others with lifebuoys or wooden planks.

Griffith was a land of abundance in the south, and although industrial development had accelerated in recent decades, there were still many fishponds in the suburbs. Many locals had wooden boats. Some rowed their boats into the residential area to look for long-lost family members or relatives, while some villagers even brought out bigger boats to form teams to look for people or supplies. There were rubber boats and kayaks, but they were extremely rare. Unless people lived in a city on the water, who would keep such things at home??

Stella watched the neighborhood from the balcony, occasionally looking for Angela and Lukas. About half an hour later, she spotted the familiar color of Angela's rubber boat, laden with supplies. She was about to go downstairs when suddenly several men swam out from building 3, heading straight for the rubber boat.

They moved quickly, but Angela and Lukas reacted swiftly, too. Lukas paddled furiously, while Angela swung her paddle towards their heads.

Stella rushed out with a knife, only to see Jasper’s door opening at the same time. Jasper, dressed casually, was as aloof as ever. "I'll go with you."

They both understood the principle of mutual dependence. Stella didn't refuse, and the two of them quickly went downstairs.

The water had flooded up to the fourth floor, and the stairwell was crowded with people looking to find a way out.

People saw Angela's rubber boat nearing the shore with the supplies on board, which could only mean survival. Their eyes were filled with resentment, anger, and even hatred. They watched with schadenfreude as the couple was robbed.