18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 55

There were so many people crammed into the space and the pouring rain was making visibility poor. Stella had also tried to adjust her position in the crowd. But somehow, he still saw through her.

Stella laughed, pretending to be clueless.

"Pulling back the shoulders, leaning forward when lifting the gun, and slightly bending the elbows."

As Jasper gave his lesson, Stella took it to heart, ready to practice when she got home.

Without saying a word, they both understood each other, and no one asked further questions.

...

After the gunshot, the apartment building fell into a heavy silence. No one dared to mess with the people from the 18th floor again.

Life had to go on. Being cooped up in the room all day was driving everyone crazy. Cody and Lukas, full of confidence with their biceps grown, knocked on the door of 1801 to invite Jasper to go out and search for supplies.

The water level was rising steadily, and they had lost hope for the rain to stop. This was the end of the world. Who knew what they would face next? Supplies were being consumed every day, which made people anxious.

Jasper agreed, and Rosie insisted on going as well. Cooper, the sneaky mutt, was quick to join in, barking his consensus.

Cooper had become quite the seasoned dog. He had his own thoughts and intentions, and Stella knew he couldn't be contained. So she said to her dog,"Take care of yourself."

Cooper went back to his room and pulled out his protective gear and doggy raincoat. He was ready for his mission. His owner just needed to help him gear up.

Stella couldn't help but laugh as she dressed him, teasing, "Oh my, my little pup is going to earn his keep again."

With a proud and shy expression, Cooper seemed to say, 'Wait for me, I'll bring back some meat!’

Watching them leave from the balcony, Stella took out a purple mink fur coat, measured it, and planned to make a coat for Cooper.

The rain continued to fall, and the weather was noticeably colder. Stella sensed that a harsh winter was on its way.

Compared to the flood, the extreme cold was a true killer.

Cooper, a robust German Shepherd, could adapt to any harsh environment. But Stella was still worried. The extreme cold could reach minus sixty or seventy degrees. Even if humans bundled up like bears, they might not survive. And Cooper was only a fur-covered dog.

Thinking about how he had suffered from frostbite in his previous life, Stella's heart was in pain. This time, she was determined to prevent him from suffering that pain again.

Angela stopped by and was surprised to see Stella making a coat out of the fur. "For Cooper?"

"Yeah, I feel like it's getting colder these days. I was even woken up by the cold last night."

Stella hinted, "First it was the hurricane, now it's been raining for over two months. Who knows what kind of weather we'll face next? We're lucky we're in the south where it doesn't get very cold, unlike the north where temperatures can drop to minus tens of degrees."

"True. If it were any other year, it would already be snowing in the north."

"Do you think the north is also flooding?" Stella wondered. "Now that it's winter, could it be covered in ice and snow?"

Angela didn't dare to think about it. That would be a living hell.

"Griffith never gets cold. I was still wearing short sleeves last winter. I wonder how it will be this year?" Stella further reminded her of that. "I have a feeling it might be much colder than last year."

Angela had a bad feeling about it. "Even if it does get cold, we've stocked up on clothes and firewood, so we should be fine."

While they were talking, Angela remembered something important. "Stella, the people in this building are scared now, but who knows what they'll do in the future. You should split up your supplies. In case the 18th floor gets breached, you won't lose everything."

It was Cody who had thought of this. They had acted immediately, tearing open the ceiling of the kitchen and bathroom, sealing the food and medicine, and hiding them in several places. Not just the ceiling, they also used the exhaust fan duct and the toilet tank.