18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 328

Living in the shadow of an unseen enemy had been a nerve-wracking experience, but once they actually caught the bug, a strange sense of calm settled over them. Jasper and Stella reassured each other, "We're better off than most. Our symptoms are light compared to others."

The one bright spot was that Cooper had pulled through. His symptoms were easing day by day, and his voracious appetite was returning. He was a bundle of energy, wagging his tail and offering canine comfort to his ailing family.

In the end, it all came down to being in good physical shape.

Initially, fearing that Cooper might catch the virus, Stella had isolated him in the spare room. But Cooper would scratch at the door, letting out pitiful whines until she couldn't bear it any longer.

She consulted with Dr. Collin, only to find out he had been infected too. Thankfully, as a physician, he had a strong mental attitude and had caught his symptoms early. He had been self-medicating and, though weak, was far from bedridden. It never crossed his mind that the first case to recover from the smog virus would be a dog.

Collin made a special trip to check on Cooper, and upon seeing the dog's robust muscles, he knew what was at play. "The virus is vicious," he explained, "but recovery leads to antibodies. From the cases we've seen so far, there's no sign of mutation."

The virus traveled with the smog – there was no escaping it. All they could do was keep up with sanitation to lower the chances of infection.

Stella understood that as long as the virus didn't mutate, Cooper, with his new antibodies, was safe from reinfection.

Returning to her room, Stella unpacked 10 pounds of smoked sausage and bacon, salted fish, and 20 pounds of soy flour that had been crushed into a fine powder. "Dr. Collin, these were prepared by us. We meant to give them to you earlier, but things have been hectic."

Collin was adamant, "No, these are too precious. We can't accept this."

"If you fall, what happens to the sick survivors? We're counting on you to cure us." Stella pushed the supplies into his hands. "You eat this first. I'll figure out how to get more nutritious stuff."

Collin was deeply touched, his voice heavy with emotion, "Stella, Jasper, on behalf of the research institute, I thank you."

"We should be thanking you," Jasper added. "If we hadn't come here, who knows if we'd still be standing."

After Collin left, Stella brought Cooper back in.

Their symptoms fluctuated, sometimes light, sometimes dragging them down. When the fever hit hard, Stella felt nauseous and her body ached as if undergoing surgery without anesthesia. Her coughs were like a bellows, constant and loud, and it felt like a blade was slicing her throat. Just a few minutes of coughing made her feel like something was about to burst from her insides.

Yet, this was still considered mild. One could only imagine the agony of the critically ill.

Each one had an oxygen tank at hand, ready for moments when breathing became difficult.

Once the symptoms eased, they would disinfect the room again.

Dr. Garcia's team had been working tirelessly, adjusting the treatment as new data came in. Stella, Jasper, Rosie, and Cooper had become so familiar with the herbal concoctions they were drinking daily that they could discern the ingredients by scent alone.

The recipe had changed; the amount of dragonlily had increased, with the addition of licorice and goldenrod. After three days on the new formula, Stella felt her symptoms lighten.

Rosie, being younger, struggled more with her fever. Jasper coaxed her to eat the beef soup he'd prepared, insisting even when she had no appetite – she needed the strength to fight the virus.