18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 334

Buddy chose to stay.

Stella didn't mind one bit. She figured he'd leave when he got bored, saving her the hassle of dealing with him thinking her place was some sort of paradise, showing up whenever he felt like it. After Austin and the others took their second dose of the treatment, the government finally announced a breakthrough: a medicine to combat the toxic smog had been developed.

Looks like Mark really pushed for it because Griffith got a bigger share of the meds than other towns, probably thanks to some strings he pulled.

Since the drugs were delivered in batches, they couldn't cover all the survivors at once. So, they had to resort to a lottery system, with one representative from each household coming to draw.

Stella, out of curiosity, tuned into the Swan Hill channel and found out that the officials there hadn't shared the news with the lower-class citizens. Not surprising, considering Swan Hill was a provincial capital with more government and corporate employees, so there was even less to go around for the common folk there.

The success of the antiviral drugs breathed some life back into the ghost town that the villa neighborhood had become.

Homeowners started venturing out, hoping to get lucky in the draw. Before leaving, they'd wash their hands religiously and mutter a little prayer for good luck.

Only then Stella realized that nearly half of the residents had succumbed to the virus. She didn't even want to think about the slums or other areas.

"Hey Stella, where's my dog?"

Through the haze, Bran approached, wearing a breathing helmet that looked like a motorcycle helmet, complete with its own oxygen supply. The rich really did live differently.

Like owner, like dog. The cured Buddy didn't even look back as he followed Bran. Stella wasn't upset. She couldn't very well hold a grudge against a dog, right?

Just as she was about to close the door, a large head squeezed its way in. He was back, dragging his own doghouse, along with two bags of premium dog food and toys. Buddy, looking pitiful as ever, dragged his bed to a corner of the yard, offering his food and toys to Cooper.

Stella had to laugh, "Do you think he thinks he's human?"

Jasper nodded in agreement, "I think so."

"It's like I'm mistreating him or something."

In the end, she gave Buddy the first floor, but the second floor was off-limits.

It wasn't that Stella disagreed; it was Cooper who bared his teeth. Only the 'big brother' was worthy of the second floor. Did this little grunt know what overstepping meant?

As the weather turned scorching hot, with no breeze and temperatures nearing 45°C, the air grew stifling. Stella gave up on the idea of air conditioning, considering the volcanic ash outside, and instead used a fan with ice cubes for cooling.

Experts were actually pleased with the rising temperatures as it could potentially inhibit the spread of the virus. The suspended ash particles could heat up under sunlight, which wasn't ideal for the virus's survival.

Despite the intense heat, the survivors, having been tested by extreme conditions, had grown more resilient.

As people began to recover, many tried to restart their gardens, but no matter how carefully they tended to them, the seeds either failed to sprout or the plants quickly wilted.

Panic set in among the survivors.

The government soon explained that the ash and smog, being slightly acidic, contaminated the soil, making outdoor cultivation impossible for the time being. They recommended digging deeper where the soil was likely still uncontaminated and trying indoor planting. This led to a soil hoarding craze. People went out with hoes and shovels to dig up soil and lugged it back home in bags, thinking who knew what disaster might strike next, so might as well stockpile.

Those without glass greenhouses on their rooftops envied the last two villas more than ever.

Even Austin, the king of copycats, had to admire Villa 50. Those residents must have had some serious clout to have predicted the disaster so accurately. He quickly summoned his crew, "Think hard about what Stella might have hoarded from you or others. If you can't remember, then no dinner tonight."

He gave Monkey a pointed look, "Especially you. She always went to you for supplies. Think!"

Monkey looked pitiful, "Boss, that was years ago. How can I remember all that?"

Austin took off his shiny gold boots, "Need me to jog your memory?"

Monkey cringed, "No, no, no, I'll think, I'll think hard. Just got over the sickness, still feeling the effects. Give me a minute."

A boot to the head and he'd be a goner. He hurriedly polished the boots, "Boss, let's talk. My memory's fine, just give me some time."

"What's everybody standing around for?" Austin eased up and put his boots back on. "Don't you all get hungry? Get those rooftop greenhouses planted."

While others were bustling about, Stella took her time. She'd already stockpiled nutrient-rich soil at Eastwood Eden, ready to use when needed.

Lukas radioed over, inviting Stella and Jasper for a meal and to lend a hand with something, though he didn't specify what over the radio. He sounded pretty upbeat.

More people recovered from the virus. The smog was still thick but manageable with antibodies.

Stella decided to accept the invitation. Considering both families weren't exactly well-off, she didn't want to bring along two dogs that could eat them out of house and home. Even Buddy seemed ashamed of its appetite, skulking around Villa 50 and only occasionally returning to the Porras family for a hefty meal before waddling back. The Porras family didn't mind the dog's dual allegiance; as long as it showed up, they'd feed it.

Stella and Jasper took Rosie over to Villa 42 for a meal. To her surprise, there were two cars parked in the yard - a sedan and an SUV.

From the rooftop came the sound of Cody and Lukas figuring out how to install solar panels.

Stella was amused. While other families were brought low by illness, these folks seemed to be thriving. She remembered the flashy red Ferrari, a status symbol that seemed to belong to a high-society debutante. If her hunch was right, the two families were scavenging the belongings of the deceased.

Hearing the commotion, Angela emerged, "Come on in, the fog is too thick out there."

Being old friends who knew each other well, there was no need for secrecy. Angela even offered up, "Ever since the virus hit, many in the neighborhood have passed on. When we were disinfecting and removing bodies, we took whatever useful items we could replace." Both families had only taken from the homes of those who had no survivors, loading up two cars, a solar generator, and various items like clothes, shoes, and furniture. Anything of use was fair game.

Even if they didn't need it for themselves, they could always trade with others in need.

Many people were doing the same, not just taking from empty homes, but even from the homes of widows and orphans. In the fog, visibility was poor, but all you needed to do was cover your face to manage.