18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 429

Jasper might have been clueless before, but after nine years with Stella, he'd picked up on everything he needed to know.

Stella didn't hold back. "Yeah, your sister's all grown up."

Jasper paused, feeling a mix of happiness and a touch of melancholy.

"What's wrong?" Stella teased, tapping his chin playfully. "Not thrilled that Rosie's growing up?"

"Of course I'm happy. It's just... time flies, you know?"

Stella chuckled, "Feeling like an old dad who's going to walk his daughter down the aisle soon?"

Jasper opened his mouth, struggled for words, and finally admitted, "Yeah, and you're turning into an old mom, too."

But growing up was something to be celebrated. If their parents could see them from the beyond, they'd surely be comforted.

Raising a child in a post-apocalyptic world was no small feat, especially with Rosie turning out so well—most of the credit went to Stella.

He wrapped his arms around Stella and kissed her. "Stella, thank you for all these tough years."

Feeling playful, Stella flirted back, "So, how do you plan to thank me?"

As their kisses deepened, he murmured, "My life for you."

Stella laughed, "What good is your life to me?"

He whispered in her ear, "What about my body, does that work?"

Stella playfully kicked him, "Be serious."

She went to deliver sanitary pads to Rosie and then turned to Jasper with a knowing look. "What are you waiting for? Clean up."

After five days in the submarine, Rosie's period had ended.

Blue Blue's relentless scratching finally paid off, clearing its body of barnacles over the past couple of days, and it hadn't reappeared since.

The silence of the deep sea was eerie, and the initial wonder at observing the marine life had turned to ennui. Not even the prettiest jellyfish or the strangest creatures could stir much excitement in the trio and their dog.

Meals were eaten in silence, punctuated only by the clink of cutlery, chewing of food, and the sound of breathing.

Even Cooper's snoring had lost its charm, becoming a source of oppressive irritation.

Stella recognized the signs: deep-sea cabin fever was setting in.

The bizarre creatures, dim lighting, and cramped space could suffocate the spirit if endured for too long.

To ease the stress, they surfaced the submarine.

The freedom of Arcadia, the warmth of the sun, the open view, and soothing music softened the moods of the three humans and their dog.

Stella and Rosie sat cracking sunflower seeds on the deck of the submarine.

Jasper and Cooper, not fans of such pastimes, took turns patrolling the waters.

After finishing with the seeds and noticing Jasper's furrowed brow, Stella asked, "What's up?"

He stared out at the sea. "I've got this feeling we're being watched."

His police officer's instinct, especially as someone who'd lived two lives, wasn't to be questioned.

Stella scanned the horizon with binoculars but found nothing.

Jasper reminded her, "Our binoculars aren't the best."

Considering the strange ocean creatures and the mutated Iran, Stella shivered. "You mean someone might be watching us from afar, and we just haven't spotted them?"

Without evidence but trusting his gut, Jasper felt uneasy.

Stella had Arcadia, and that's what kept them comfortable. But as ordinary people with limited resources, they couldn't ignore that others might have far superior gear.

Ordinary folks might lack the means, but what about groups or even nations?

The world had over two hundred countries, and despite the catastrophic disasters, the will to survive was strong.

"Why would they watch us?" Stella frowned slightly. "To see Rosie and me cracking seeds?"

Jasper mused, "Maybe I'm just being paranoid."

Better safe than sorry, they took a deep breath and the submarine descended once more.

Jasper was cautious. They moved the submarine away from that area, with Rosie and Cooper monitoring from their respective windows.