18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 346

Life in the neighbourhood had settled into a routine, with building 50 receiving about 10 liters of water daily.

Stella checked the pH with a test strip-normal, thankfully. The water had a faint taste, likely filtered groundwater from the city officials.

Cody and Lukas were the ones who lugged the water, chatting idly as they made deliveries.

The water was distributed from a tanker at the town square, attracting a crowd daily. Allocation was per household, and with two strong men contributing, their share naturally exceeded that of others. After the men left, Stella noticed they had received double the usual amount. An official surplus was out of the question; she figured they'd given extra, assuming a trio and a dog would need more. Weather was fickle-days of sunshine followed by rain. After past lessons, survivors had grown cautious, venturing out only with makeshift umbrellas or carrying wooden planks above their heads. When the skies cleared, a notice informed residents that a sanitation team would visit. 'Sanitation' was a euphemism for soil deacidification.

Lincoln Agricultural Research had devised a method to reduce soil acidification over eight years, now shared with city authorities to combat the effects of acid rain. Grayish-white pellets, resembling multi-purpose fertilizer, were scattered across the land. They reacted with the acidic soil, emitting a pungent odor that turned stomachs. One night, a fierce storm struck. Stella, flashlight in hand, scrutinized the exterior walls for damage. Thankfully, there had been no recent wind to exacerbate erosion.

Just because building 50 was fine didn't mean the other buildings were okay, and some people in the neighborhood got burned. A leak in the roof, unnoticed until acidic water dripped onto their face, waking them with searing pain.

People hastily moved from the second floor to the ground level, crowding together for safety.

The acid rain continued its assault, eroding floors and forcing some to the dank, dimly-lit basement, where even a simple fart could become an olfactory nightmare.

Building 50 wasn't immune to the issues. Months of acid rain and gales had left its glass atrium teetering.

Stella frowned at the damage, then layered the rooftop with glass salvaged from Arcadia, hoping it would last at least six months.

But one night, the sound of shattering glass startled everyone awake the atrium had collapsed.

Stella and Jasper rushed to inspect the damage. Fortunately, the backyard atrium, with a different support structure, remained intact.

Rabbits they were raising weren't so lucky; two died from shock.

Soon after, Austin's atrium crumbled. Luckily, he had preemptively moved his rooftop garden to the backyard.

All over the neighbourhood, atriums fell. The ones built later at great expense were now just heaps of glass shards, driving some to tears. Despair was widespread, but some remained hopeful. "Why cry? It protected us for months. Let's just call it the cost of our lives. Our homes will endure."

Every morning began with a rooftop inspection, and during breakfast, Stella broached the topic, "Should we dig a basement?"

Jasper pondered, "The acid rain should be nearing its end. If it comes to it, we could live in the car, cover it with acid-resistant tarp."

Stella agreed. After all, their fortified vehicle had withstood worse.

As the rain persisted, Stella tested the acidity regularly, replaceing it gradually declining. Curious, she examined soil samples, discovering a reduction in contamination from the city's efforts.

When the rain finally ceased, and after months of recovery, the soil might return to life.

Yet the end of the acid rain didn't ease Stella's mind. Jasper's memories hinted at a brief respite before a catastrophic seismic event. This calm felt like the quiet before a storm. The unknown loomed larger than ever. All they could do was prepare as best as possible and hope for survival.

Then, after a period of intermittent rain and sunshine, the skies cleared for good.

Government announcements confirmed the end of the acid rain, lifting spirits across the neighbourhood.

Survivors emerged from their shelters, thin and frail, basking in the long-missed sunlight, crying and laughing in relief.

People began to plant crops again, placing battered boxes on rooftops to catch the rays.

With the ground water polluted, the well was unusable, but since the acid rain was over, Bran disbanded the water collection team.

To maintain appearances, Jasper would drive out every few days to fetch water.