18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 350

Suspicion was a given between Jasper and Stella; they were both as sharp as a tack. The only question was which way their doubts would take them. Jasper figured they were just trying to piece together what might happen next. Sure, Block 50 had always left some breadcrumbs before, but now? Nothing. Stella nestled into his arms. "What do you think's gonna happen next?"

"No idea." He kissed her forehead. "As long as we're together, we can handle any disaster."

The satellite kept plummeting, like a wild child with no sense, swinging a bat here, slinging a mallet there, crashing down wherever it felt like.

Their neighborhood had been lucky so far, dodging another hit, but the official landfill power plant wasn't so fortunate it got smacked, setting off a fire that roared for two days and nights. The streetlights were out now.

And who knew if they'd ever light up again?

On the rooftop, the trio and their dog sat grilling burgers, soaking in the starlit sky.

Rosie bit into her hot dog, her eyes going wide. "Bro, a meteor shower!"

Jasper looked up, his pupils dilating. "Run!"

Stella instinctively followed his gaze and saw a crimson meteor shower slicing through the night sky, getting bigger and closer...

Red as blood, burning fiercely, almost close enough to graze their faces, the heat nearly tangible.

Growing, expanding, seemingly about to crash right into them.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, it seemed miles away again.

They all sprang up, abandoning their barbecue and beers, tables and chairs forgotten, and bolted downstairs to their car, moving with swift precision. "Seatbelts," Stella reminded them.

The seats were blast-proof, designed to withstand impact.

Worried about Cooper getting hurt, Jasper bundled the dog in his arms, strapping them together.

The violent impact, the continuous shaking of the earth-it didn't matter that their vehicle, the Predator, weighed 15 tons; it was still trembling.

The battering lasted for what felt like forever, both far away and terrifyingly close, their hearts pounding in unison.

Fingers intertwined tightly, their breaths hitched in their throats.

Then, the world fell silent, as if nothing had ever happened.

No one dared to move. They stayed put in the car for a full half hour before emerging.

The neighborhood channel was going berserk. Some said it was a satellite cluster falling, others claimed another earthquake had struck.

"Dang it, what's next? Is the Earth gonna blow up and take us with it?"

"Maybe it's alien monsters attacking us. We're doomed, totally doomed."

Amid the chaos and fear, everyone was on edge.

Stella's brow furrowed, a silent tension in her eyes.

An hour later, the walkie-talkie crackled to life. Bran's voice came through, "Sis, it's the satellite cluster that fell."

Hearing his voice, Stella had a bad feeling. "Where did it fall?"

"Mount Oak."

Mount Oak? Stella's heart sank.

Geological surveys had shown that Mount Oak was an ancient dormant volcano that hadn't erupted for millions of years. It had been a scenic area for as long as anyone could remember. Was it truly dead, or just sleeping?

If it was merely dormant, could this intense collision awaken it?

After hanging up, Stella's anxiety grew.

Jasper looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Mount Oak, where we used to gather herbs-it's an ancient dormant volcano. It just got hit repeatedly by falling satellites."

Jasper frowned. "You think the impact might trigger an eruption?"

"I don't know. I might be worrying over nothing."

Stella took a deep breath to calm herself, remaining silent for several minutes before speaking up. "Maybe we should leave?"

Sooner or later, there would be a massive tectonic collision. Perhaps it wouldn't make a difference where they were, but Griffith was a coastal city. It could trigger a tsunami, and even a ship wouldn't withstand it. Compared to the ocean, wasn't the land relatively safer? Even if the world changed dramatically, choosing the right place could offer a chance to breathe.

After a moment's consideration, Jasper agreed. "Alright, let's leave."

Home was where loved ones were, after all.

Once decided, Stella didn't keep secrets. She called Bran back. "I'm worried the satellite impact might cause an eruption. We're planning to leave Griffith. You decide for yourself, or listen to the officials." After all, it was just speculation; she couldn't lead others astray.

She also informed Austin and Cody. "I'm considering leaving. You make your own choice."

The suddenness left everyone stunned.

Cody, bewildered, asked, "Stella, where will you go?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'm just planning to leave Griffith first."

Austin was equally flustered. Where to go on such short notice? He had plenty of supplies that might not all be transportable.

Even if he could take everything, where would they settle?

Disasters were everywhere, and replaceing a safe haven was a challenge. Moving to a new place posed its own problems.

Everyone had their own concerns, and Stella had neither the time nor the energy to address them. Survival was uncertain.

They packed through the night. Whatever could be moved was taken; even door frames and windows weren't overlooked, nor were the plant pots.

Stella, who had been indifferent before, didn't forget the rabbits either. She went out to the backyard with cages in hand.

But where were Smoky and Snowy?

Their offspring were gone too.

Thinking they might have been scared off by the impact, Stella searched the yard but found no trace of them.

Not one to give up, she dug through the hay piles in the corners-damn!

They had dug a deep hole and escaped through the wall.

Those cunning rabbits!

Who knew what trials lay ahead? If she didn't look after them, they'd either end up in someone else's belly or perish in the disasters.

Remembering the years of rabbit rearing, Stella went out to replace them. She'd eaten their offspring, true, but never intended to consume these survivors they'd made it through so many disasters. Yet, Smoky and Snowy had made a decisive getaway, nowhere to be found.

Stella considered using the dog to track them down, but then thought better of it. If they survived, they'd add to the biodiversity; if not, it was fate.

Just as she returned to the yard, Cody, Lukas, and the others came to discuss. "Stella, where are we heading if we evacuate?"

As they spoke, Austin opened the gate. "Yeah, if we're leaving, where do we go?"

The world was changing fast, and they had to make a choice. Together or apart, survival was the only thing on everyone's mind.