18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 19

Human nature is a curious thing. People never worried about having too little, but rather about having less than someone else.

Why would someone be living high on the hog while others were starving? Instead of helping, people even planned to rob the two when they got close!

Stella had two knives, a butcher knife in her left hand and a boning knife in her right. With a stern face, she shoved her way through the crowd and stood by the window, guarding it.

The sight of the two sharp knives, still stained with dried blood, frightened the crowd, forcing them back. Some wanted to argue but were silenced when Jasper joined Stella. The two stood like grim reapers, one on either side of the window.

Stella surveyed the crowd, taking in everyone's expressions before speaking coldly, "Quit preaching. Whoever dares to insult me or try to steal our stuff, I'll cut them all down.”

Their reputation on the 18th floor was well-known throughout the building. They were a group of ruthless people! These brutes hoarded food and drinks and were unwilling to share. They had even injured several people during a previous robbery, one of whom had died from blood loss. Someone had secretly reported them to the firefighters yesterday, but the firefighters only handled rescue operations and said this was a matter for the police after the flood receded.

Seeing Stella's defiant stance, no one dared to speak. Everyone was afraid that one wrong word could provoke this madwoman into attacking!

Angela was no pushover, either. After knocking down several men, the two finally made it to the window.

While Stella held off the crowd inside the building, Jasper helped load the supplies. Two 20-pound bags of rice, a 10-pound bag of flour, some noodles and dried vegetables, two packs of candles, three big boxes of solid fuel tablets, beans, and chili sauce. It wasn't much, but it was bought with blood and sweat.

Lukas was so tired he could barely stand, and Angela's arm had been cut, staining her clothes with blood. The crowd watched with avaricious eyes, yet no one dared to approach and steal their supplies.

Hector and Sadie were among the crowd, and their faces were a mix of anger and hatred. They wanted to get close, but they knew Stella wouldn't entertain them.

Some people couldn't suppress their greed and asked to borrow the inflatable boat, offering to rent it. The four of them ignored them. Their faces looked fierce as they clutched their supplies and went upstairs.

Behind them, a woman cursed, and many joined in, calling the residents of the 18th floor cold- hearted and inhuman.

Angela was exhausted and couldn't even speak. Back on the 18th floor, Stella found some iodine and bandages, as well as some anti-inflammatory medication. The wound wasn't deep. After disinfecting and bandaging it, she gave Angela the medicine.

The two had been shaken by the events outside. They felt like their souls were still floating. They thought the chaos inside the building was bad enough, but outside was even worse. They had arrived early and managed to secure the inflatable boat, but soon a crowd had gathered.

The crowd grew, and the place was packed. After what felt like an eternity, the supermarket finally opened. Not only had the price increased twentyfold, but people continuously rushed in, grabbing whatever they could, whether it was on the shelves or in someone's hands.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Without internet access, the supermarket only accepted cash. Those with cash were happy, while those without had to use their gold necklaces and bracelets as collateral. The checkout process was slow and complicated, leading to those without money just grabbing stuff and running.

The police fired warning shots at the scene, and for a moment, things calmed down, but there were too many people without cash.

Supplies were limited, and soon, a second wave of chaos erupted. People stormed in to steal, and ran away after stealing, turning the whole place into a mess. Everyone was scared, afraid that the supplies they had managed to grab would be stolen by others.

Angela and Lukas took advantage of the chaos to escape, but the water was full of people. They looked like pasta in a pot. People kept swarming them, trying to steal their supplies or the inflatable boat. Despite Angela's strength, she couldn't fend off everyone. Not only were some of their supplies stolen, but her hand was also injured, and what was worse, some tried to puncture the boat.

"If it weren't for the boat being puncture-resistant, we might not have made it back."

The unfamiliarity of this world made Angela question human nature. Exhausted, she leaned against Lukas. Stella didn't know how to comfort Angela. After all, this was just the beginning of the end of the world.

Before they could catch their breath, someone knocked on the door downstairs. Great, a huge crowd had gathered. At first glance, there must have been dozens of people, so many that they couldn't even fit in the hallway on the 17th floor.

Stella frowned, were these people planning to rob them?

Angela's supplies had been paid for with her life. These people were too afraid to venture outside, but they had designs on the 18th floor, looking for an easy target. Everyone was tired and didn't want to talk. They quietly grabbed their knives and went downstairs.

Four pairs of murderous eyes stunned the crowd. They were scared but unwilling to leave, believing they could win with their numbers. Their confidence was quickly restored.

A middle-aged man wearing glasses stepped forward with a smile on his face. "Don't misunderstand, we mean no harm."

Stella's face was cold. "What do you want?"

"Hello, my name is Drew. I've been elected as the building representative. I wanted to discuss the possibility of forming a group to search for supplies."

He was smiling, but upon seeing the four of them standing silent behind the door, he awkwardly explained, "The government hasn't sent any help, and things are in chaos outside. It's dangerous to go out looking for supplies alone, and even if we find anything, it's likely to be stolen on the way back. So, we decided to select those who are physically capable to go out together, so there's at least some mutual protection."

"Do you have a boat or inflatable raft?"

"Well, that's why we came to talk to you," Drew said with an awkward smile. "We're all neighbors here, and if a real disaster strikes, it would be beneficial if we could look out for each other. Don’t you agree?"

Stella paused for a moment. "Give us a moment, we need to discuss."

She signaled the others, and they retreated to the window to discuss. "What do you guys think?"

Angela was quick-tempered and didn't tolerate threats. If they wanted to take the inflatable boat, they would have to step over her dead body first. If she could take a few of them down with her, it would be worth it.

"Why don't we lend them the boat?" Lukas suggested as the more rational one. "We shouldn't make a bad situation worse. If we push them too hard, their numbers could overwhelm us."

Angela disagreed, "No way. If we give in now, they'll never stop."

Stella turned to the tenant of 1801, Jasper. "What do you think?"

"I don't care. Whatever you decide is fine."

"Going out together to find supplies is out of the question. Not only would we not find much, but even if we did, it wouldn't be enough to split amongst so many people. They would just start scheming again."

"Let's lend them the boat and let them go find another one," Stella suggested. "There are plenty of outdoor equipment stores in the city. If they go early, they might be able to find another inflatable boat or raft, and then they won't be focused on ours."

"Stella, you make a good point, but with things as chaotic as they are outside, if our boat gets stolen or damaged, what will we do?"

"You forget, I've got a rubber boat too."

Jasper broke the silence. "I've got an inflatable raft."