18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 324

The air was heavy with smog as the officers cautiously approached the mysterious black bag. Upon opening it, they found it to be full of herbs. Baffled glances were exchanged - what could this possibly mean? Nobody took the situation lightly; for all they knew, the herbs could be a smokescreen for something more sinister, like a bomb. Calling in an off-duty colleague, they meticulously checked each package. The incident was so bizarre it quickly caught the attention of Detective Evan, who was awakened in the dead of night to replace the precinct's yard overflowing with the mysterious herbal haul, leaving him utterly flabbergasted. With a moment's thought, Evan instructed, "Get an expert from the Institute of Herbal Medicine over here, pronto."

The officers wasted no time and drove through the night to fetch the expert.

Back in his office, Evan inquired, "Did anyone get a good look at the people who dropped off the herbs?"

"No luck," admitted an officer on duty. "The visibility was poor, and the smog didn't help. They stayed in their vehicle and were pretty much unrecognizable."

The officer paused, then added, "They were wearing gas masks though, looked almost like skulls at first glance. Gave me quite a scare, I thought we were under some sort of biochemical attack."

Evan shot him a look. "You've been watching too many movies, haven't you?"

"Evan, I'm dead serious. People are on edge; lashing out at society is becoming all too common. If this smog virus turns into an epidemic, who knows how many might become carriers. We need to be ready." Evan's gaze was sharp. "Mask up."

The officer clutched his mask tighter, "Evan, should we track down those trucks?"

Evan pondered over the two letters that had almost worn thin in his hands over the years. What use was there in tracking down trucks, only to lock them up?

After a long pause, he decided, "No, let's wait for the expert's verdict on these herbs first."

The smog had everyone on edge, especially this new, more ominous version. Stella, unsurprisingly, had another nightmare, this time envisioning Jasper coughing up his lungs into a basin until it overflowed. Not just him, but Cooper was also afflicted in her dream, clawing at his mouth and gasping, "Human, I can't breathe. Give me your lungs."

She woke with a start, only to be met by Jasper turning on the bedside lamp, asking, "What's wrong?"

"Just a bad dream," Stella patted her chest, reassuring herself.

The calm was short-lived as Austin's voice crackled urgently through the intercom. "Stella, Dylan's got a fever with a cough, his breathing is rapid and he's all hot and cold, is it an infection?" Stella commanded over the intercom, "How high is the fever?"

"Almost 40."

"Did he take the pills to lower his fever?"

Austin had fever-reducing pills, but they'd expired a couple years ago and he was afraid to give them to his son at all.

"Keep him hydrated, and give him a sponge bath with lukewarm water," Stella instructed through the static. "Use mugwort for his foot bath, and make sure he drinks plenty of warm fluids."

Monkey had the same issue; his kid was sick too. It seemed to be no coincidence - the smog virus was spreading rapidly, and kids were the most vulnerable.

Jasper returned from the backyard with a grim look. "The poultry seem affected. Some are gasping for air."

It might not be the infection, maybe just physical discomfort, but the risk was too high. After much deliberation, Stella made her decision, "We'll have to cull them."

The task was heart-wrenching. Rosie had poured her soul into raising each bird, and the thought of killing them was devastating. Nevertheless, they were all bagged up and stored in sealed containers in the Arcadia, sanitized and packed away in case of future necessity. The rabbits, however, seemed unaffected, chewing hay leisurely. With a heavy heart, Stella cleaned out the coop but left them with plenty of hay and water - their fate was left to chance.

Stella's plan had hit a snag. Her initial intent was to assist Collin and Dr. Garcia at the Institute as soon as the everlasting night was over. Once the smog rolled in, she thought, she could covertly drop off the medicine at the police station's doorstep. Then, she could provide subtle hints about the medicine's use as part of her job to hasten the research process.

The reason she didn't give the medication directly to the research institute was twofold. Firstly, she was not sufficiently clued in on their processes and was wary about the medicine being misappropriated. Secondly, she was worried that if a large amount of unidentified herbs suddenly appeared, they might alarm the Swan Hill Police Station. If an investigation were initiated, it was a gamble she was not willing to take.

After careful consideration, she entrusted the herbs to Evan. Evan, she believed, undeniably understood the purpose of the herbs and would also potentially assist in maintaining the deception. Given his acuity, she had a hunch he had inferred her intent but chosen to remain silent. Certainly, he was a fascinating character.

Still, without personally witnessing Evan handover the herbs to the research institute, Stella could not be at ease. She decided to undertake another outdoor expedition.

Dressed in her protective gear, she bravely set out in broad daylight. As she stepped out, she decided to drop off a large batch of herbs at Austin's villa. She instructed the father-son duo to try brewing it. Furthermore, she also left supplies for Cody, Lukas and Monkey. This was a contactless delivery, designed to maintain distance and avoid contact.

The herbs, finely chopped and mixed, could only be identified by an expert. After her deliveries, Stella visited her purchased apartments, now spacious with Monkey and others having moved out. Friendly agreements had been made; everyone was looking out for each other in these trying times.

Next door, Samuel's family was alerted by the noise and emerged, knife in hand. Upon recognizing Stella, relief washed over Samuel. "Is that you, Stella? How have you and Mr. Jasper been?"

The things that had happened during the eternal night and its aftermath had reached them, leaving a mix of relief and complex emotions. The community had endured much, but the bond between them had only grown stronger.

Actually, the security chief was pretty decent to them. Whenever the homeowners threw their weight around, he was often the first to step up. If it hadn't been for their increasing demands, that tragedy might never have happened.

You could say the chief was a smooth operator who knew how to play the game, but in the end, he let them go with their full pay and benefits. It was fair to say that any cruelty he showed was brought on by a string of calamities and misfortunes. "It's alright, I just came to check on the house."

The air was thick with smog, but hoer concern was noted, so no more needed to be said.

Cody and Lukas had lived here for a while, and they left the place pretty spick and span.

Stella stood by the window of apartment 302, which offered a view of the police station entrance, although the haze made it difficult to see clearly. She took out her binoculars and peered through them intently.