18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

dozens of meters into the air, continuously feeding the dark smoke above.

Black smoke billowed into the sky, rapidly ascending and spreading. Following the dark spectacle, plumes of ash-gray fog erupted, soon accompanied by flickering tongues of black and red flames. The flames shot from the mountaintop like a colossal blowtorch, reaching Molten lava spewed in all directions, splattering like grotesque fireworks. The blaze, the thick smoke, the flowing magma-they all expanded uncontrollably, like a hellish demon freed after eons, its ghastly visage unfurling claws and teeth, lunging at the insignificant humans below. Indeed, the volcano had erupted.

For a moment, everyone was paralyzed with shock.

"Move it!" Jasper's voice cut through the chaos, low and urgent.

Stella snapped out of her trance, quickly ushering Rosie and Cooper into the car, reminding them to buckle up. The streets were in turmoil as people frantically scrambled for their vehicles. In their haste, accidents happened-one car after another collided, creating a new tragedy.

Jasper remained composed, his quick reflexes steering them clear of the wreckage, safely and swiftly driving forward. Stella glanced back to see the volcanic ash staining half the sky, the red glow of molten lava capriciously flicking its fiery limbs.

This was her first experience with a volcanic eruption. Even from miles away, the air felt scorching and oppressive, distant objects warping and trembling. The tremors, even at this distance, bore witness to the severity of the eruption. Could those on foot possibly outrun the devastation?

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Stella remained vigilant. Pedestrians and vehicles alike sped away from the disaster, all hoping to put as much distance as possible between them and the ash cloud. Out of the corner of her eye, Stella noticed helicopters in the sky- more than one. Whether private or government, she couldn't tell. Air, land, and sea resources were likely being deployed, everyone pulling out all stops in a desperate bid for survival.

The road was treacherous, crowded with cars and people, each moment threatening a new accident, demanding her full attention. They pulled over for a break, to relieve themselves and stretch. Tensions were high; Stella observed a group nearby break into a fight over some petty disagreement while she quietly munched on her granola bar.

After filling her stomach, she took out her binoculars and searched for signs of Griffith. Odd, the ash seemed to have cleared so quickly.

"Oh my God, what is that?!" someone screamed behind her, followed by panicked shouts. Stella turned to look and her pupils dilated in horror. A massive dust storm, swirling with sand, soil, pebbles, and dead branches, was devouring the landscape, barreling straight toward them. A dust storm, here of all places!

Though recent years had seen a spate of natural disasters that left rivers dry and forests dead, causing extensive soil erosion, it was unthinkable for a dust storm to rise here. But there was no time for contemplation as the gale hit with a vengeance, whipping up debris and plunging the world into darkness.

Drivers at the front of the evacuation saw the dust storm first and screamed in terror as they tried to turn their vehicles around. But as hands reached for the steering wheel, others, mistaking the brake for the gas pedal, collided violently with them. There was no chance for a battle; the dust storm swallowed them whole.

"Stella," Jasper's face contorted with urgency, "take cover!" She saw him running toward the Hummer, but the storm was upon them in a blink. Instinctively, he dove to shield her. The harsh sand grated against her face, mingled with pebbles that pelted her like shrapnel. Her head throbbed with acute pain.

Blinded by the storm, Stella grasped for the car, but the door, caught by the wind, slammed against her wrist with a sickening force. With the sensation of broken bones, Stella bit her lip and held on desperately, even as the tempest tossed her about. Enduring the pain, she pulled herself into the car.

"Jasper?" Her voice was lost in the howling of the storm, her mouth filling with sand the moment she opened it. Unable to see, she reached out blindly, finding someone in the passenger seat a weight that eased her panic. She quickly climbed into the Arcadia. When the storm's fury abated, a haunting silence followed.

Stella managed to get a bottle of water, rinsing her mouth and washing the grit from her eyes. "Damn..." A warm trickle of blood slid down her forehead, probably from a pebble's cut. She felt her swollen wrist, grateful it wasn't broken, but the skin was split and bleeding. "Are you guys okay?" She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her face. The car was silent. She tried to open her inflamed, teary eyes. Her vision was blurry, but she could see that the passenger seat was empty. Her backpack had been mistaken for a person in her haste. The passenger seat was empty, and so was the back.

Where was Jasper? And her dog?

Panic set in as Stella stumbled back out into the storm. The moment she stepped out, another gust of the dust storm hit, flipping the car over. Unable to fight the magnitude of the storm, Stella retreated back into the Arcadia.

A dust storm might last a couple of hours. Jasper was a resilient man, unbreakable by hardship. He had to be alright. Her mind in turmoil, Stella could only wait for the storm to pass before going out to search. Venturing out now would be futile and dangerous. She dressed her forehead wound, disinfected it, and wrapped it tightly. Her wrist, swollen like a ham, throbbed with each pulse. She meticulously cleaned the gash, bandaged it, and applied an ice pack, downing antibiotics and painkillers before trying to rest. After a while, she donned a bulletproof vest, wrapped herself in a heavy coat, and secured a motorcycle helmet. If the storm caught her again, at least she wouldn't be killed outright. Just to be sure, she threw a roll of steel into the car for extra weight. Taking a deep breath, Stella, fully armored, stepped out of the Arcadia once again.