18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 347

Stella made a special trip to the local herbal research institute, where Collin and others had been toiling away. Thankfully, the greenhouse they had labored over was still standing.

The greenhouse, constructed by official experts, had a clever design that withstood the relentless assault of acid rain, ensuring the medicinal herbs were well-protected.

Having not seen them for half a year, Stella, who highly regarded her mentors and friends, brought gifts for everyone: Dr. Garcia's favorite tea blend, Collin's preferred sweets, Hugh's brand of cigarettes, and some preserved bacon and aged rice.

She was careful not to overdo the quantities, keeping everything within a reasonable limit.

Hugh seemed much more cheerful, and Stella wondered if he had finally moved past the shadow of Lindsay . But she held her tongue, not daring to ask.

However, Bran mentioned in passing that Lindsay might be expecting. Hopefully she wouldn’t cause any more trouble.

Seeing everyone in relatively good spirits, Stella felt reassured enough to head back to Griffith.

The escalation of natural disasters was undeniable, but the authorities had taken the prophecies seriously and prepared extensively. Stella hoped that when the day of the tectonic collision came, they could lead more survivors to safety.

People like Dr. Garcia and Collin were surely on the government's list of key individuals to protect, so Stella didn't need to worry about them.

With the end of the acid rain, many in the neighborhood were reinforcing their homes, hoping to make them sturdier against the next disaster.

Knock on wood, Stella thought, there wouldn't be a next time.

That evening, after a glass of wine, she fell into a deep sleep.

"Bang!" It felt as though the earth had been struck a mighty blow, shaking the bed beneath her.

Stella sat up abruptly, her ears ringing. What the hell? The acid rain had barely ended, and now a tectonic collision? But that wasn't supposed to happen for almost two more years!

Jasper awoke beside her, quickly turning on the light. The two exchanged a glance, then hurriedly got dressed.

Rosie was also roused by the commotion, swiftly gearing up and grabbing the emergency earthquake kit.

As the trio dashed downstairs, Stella was about to deploy the survival pod in the yard when Cooper started barking furiously at the mansion across the way, his urgency clear. Then he began scratching at the front door.

Jasper perked up his ears, "It's Buddy barking." By the sound of it, it was a cry for help.

Stella's panic subsided; there was no sense of the ground shaking now.

As Jasper opened the door and scanned the area with binoculars, he remarked, "Looks like the Porras family is in trouble."

The loud noise had woken many of the homeowners, who were now peering out and turning on lights, especially those near the Porras mansion. In moments, shouts filled the air, "Hurry, help! The house has collapsed!"

Collapsed? Stella was baffled; the Porras family's home was built with top-notch materials. How could it just collapse?

Through the walkie-talkie, Bran's voice came through, tinged with desperation, "Stella, dad's hurt, I need help!"

"What happened?" Stella asked calmly, "Where's Shane injured?"

Bran didn't know. Out of nowhere, half the house had just crumbled, and his father had fallen, hitting his head and bleeding everywhere. His cousin’s family were still trapped under the rubble.

"Don't panic. Move your dad to a safe spot, and don't shake him."

It was a false alarm; the earlier tremor wasn't tectonic—it was something that had crashed into the Porras family's home.

Considering that over half of Arcadia's assets were tied to the Porras family and that they had helped her a great deal over the years, Stella decided to investigate.

After ensuring Cooper and Rosie were safe in the survival pod, Jasper warned, "Rosie, fasten your seatbelt and take care of Cooper. Don't come out no matter what happens. Stella and I will check on the Porras family and be back later."