18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 36

The dog had a human-like understanding. Its unflinching gaze was unnerving.

“We're dog lovers. Surely we won't eat dogs,” Cody was the first one to back down. “Stella, can you ask him to stop staring at me like this? It's freaking me out!”

Angela totally understood her, but as a friend, she had some advice for Stella, “Normally, I'd back you up, Stella. But times are tough. Most of our food got soaked and ruined in the water. We were smart enough to stock up, but what you have will only last six or seven months. And who knows what the future holds? Plus, this sort of large breed dog needs a lot of food. You need to think this through.”

Stella gently soothed the anxious Cooper. “To me, he's not just a dog. He's family. If we run out of supplies, we'll find more. I won't abandon him no matter what.”

Angela decided not to meddle anymore. She knew Stella would make the right decision. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Once inside, Stella took some dog food from Arcadia and soaked it in goat's milk. She had found the milk from a supermarket. She couldn't stand the strong taste, and now it's perfect for Cooper.

After finishing a large bowl of food, Cooper's sunken belly finally filled out. He stood in front of the couch, staring intently at Stella. Tears started to well up in his eyes. There was not vigilance in his eyes, but some anticipation.

His crying completely broke the heart of Stella who was sitting on the sofa. She held Cooper and cried, crying out her fear, unwillingness, loneliness and despair from the last life.

The dog's head lay on her shoulder, making a whimpering sound. He was crying, because he felt relieved that she hadn't abandoned him like his previous owner. Not only did she feed him, but she also cuddled him. Could he trust humans again?

Stella and Cooper hugged and cried together for a while.

Afterwards, Stella felt more composed. She had initially stockpiled supplies just to survive, to endure as long as possible. But now, she had not only herself to worry about, but also Cooper.

She began to examine Cooper's body and was horrified at the sight of his wounds, new and old alike.

Stella gave him some antibiotics, shaved his fur off, disinfected his wounds with iodine, and applied some balm. She found a t-shirt from her old basketball days and put it on Cooper. “Once we fatten you up, you'll be handsome again.”

Stella wasn't worried about supplies. She had enough to feed both her and Cooper quite some time, and she could always grow more in her garden.

She laid out some cardboard boxes on the damp floor and placed a sturdy old couch on top for Cooper to sleep on. He seemed to know instantly that this was his bed. It was soft and comfortable, a place he could finally call home. He soon fell into a peaceful sleep.

Stella knocked on the door of apartment 1801 and then gathered everyone in 1803. In front of everyone, she opened a heavy backpack.

Cody and Lukas were shocked. “A million dollars?”

Stella nodded. “I found it in an office building.”

In normal times, they would be ecstatic. But now, they couldn't spend it. The price of grain had skyrocketed, and they could only buy a pound a day. And the grain was even salvaged from the water, so it was questionable whether it was safe to eat.

Stella warned them, "We can still buy food now, but in the future, things could get worse."

"We can't buy it now either." Lukas, always keen on the news, said, "They said it was rationing, but actually the amount they put out every day is very small. People who queue up in the middle of the night can't even get it."

However, there are people selling food underground. Even the grain dried from the water, could be sold at 2000 per kilogram. How ironic was it that one million can only buy 500 pund of food.

"Do you have a way?"

The government was catching those who were speculating and hoarding. If caught, they would confiscate and confiscate.

"Money will only become less and less valuable. More and more bartering is happening, and it's unpredictable when money will become obsolete. We need to find a way to spend it tomorrow."

"We can't buy food. How can we spend it?"

"Well, we'll buy whatever is sold in the department store." Stella directed towards the extreme cold, "It's October now. We used to wear short sleeves, but now we have to cover ourselves with a quilt to sleep. What if this rain doesn't stop until winter. How are we supposed to cope?"

The others agreed, “Okay, we'll go to the department store tomorrow and grab everything we can.”

Jasper from 1801 had been quiet the whole time. His deep eyes didn't reveal any emotions. He seemed to be a part of the group, but he was always alert and distant. His sharp eyes seemed to penetrate people's hearts, making Stella uneasy.

After leaving 1803, Stella was about to enter her apartment when Jasper suddenly spoke, “Stella, can I talk to you about something?”

“Go ahead.”

“I used to be a SWAT officer. I moved here after I was injured and retired,” he explained. “The dog you brought back is a breed used by the police. They're physically strong and obedient. If trained properly, he could be very useful.”

Stella was surprised. She had guessed that he might have a military or police background, but his cold demeanor had led her to think he was a professional hitman or bodyguard. She had not expected him to be a former SWAT officer.

Everyone had secrets. As long as he didn't harm her, Stella wouldn't pry. She asked him, “What's your condition?”