18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

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. Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

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.

With her cheeks flushed and her voice hoarse, Rosie asked, "Jasper, am I going to die?"

"No you'll pull through," Stella consoled her, applying ice to help reduce the fever. "Jasper and I are getting better; you will too, very soon."

Indeed, a healthy lifestyle was proving its worth now, helping them fend off the virus with comparatively mild symptoms.

They were far luckier than most survivors. They had caught it early, had access to good treatment, and their immune systems were strong. Everything was looking up.

Years of disaster had weakened many, and the extended absence of sunlight had taken its toll, leaving people pale and unhealthy. Amid coughing fits, blood came up, along with something more solid. Stella had seen people carried into emergency rooms, never to come out again.

Stella was grateful that her years of preparation had not been in vain, and that drinking herbal remedies for a long period of time could in fact control her condition without worsening it.

She stopped her own medicine, sticking to what the hospital provided, and her symptoms began to fade. "Do you think Dr. Garcia has found a cure?" she asked Jasper one day.

"Let's hope," Jasper replied, having started some light exercises, feeling much better.

Out of curiosity, Stella asked, "How do your symptoms compare to the last time?"

Jasper thought for a moment, "Night and day."

His symptoms were tough but bearable. No matter how hard he coughed, it wasn't as bad as before.

Critically ill patients suffered severe damage to their livers and lungs from the virus, and many didn't make it.

Thankfully, none of them, including Cooper, had coughed up blood. Their organs weren't severely damaged, and they hoped for full recovery, or at least no significant loss of function.

After five more days of quarantine, Jasper and Stella felt fine, but Dr. Collin and Hugh's conditions had worsened. Many doctors, including those from Phoenix Bay, Raven Port, and Mount Barker, had fallen ill. There were few medical staff left standing.

Stella didn't continue her quarantine. Instead, she approached Dr. Garcia with an offer. "Hello, I'm a student of Dr. Collin. My partner and I were infected recently, but we've been symptom-free for a few days. I'd like to join the team if you think it's appropriate."

Dr. Garcia looked even thinner, but his spirits were high. Knowing that he was at a high-risk age and a titanic figure in the medical field, many doctors were taking it upon themselves to protect him, with protective suits that would not leave their bodies. Even if they were scolded, they would not allow him to go to the dangerous wards.

After a thorough check-up, Dr. Garcia confirmed, "You seem to have recovered. Continue the medication for two more days to consolidate your recovery. Monitor your health closely and report any discomfort immediately. And remember, don't overexert yourself."

Then he added, "You've been taking precautions, right?"

Indeed, nothing could be hidden from a doctor's eyes. Stella admitted honestly, "We started taking preventive measures about half a month ago."

Dr. Garcia's curiosity was piqued. "What did you use?"

Stella shared the news of her connection with Collin, "The recipe is my own concoction, mostly with ingredients provided by Dr. Collin. However, I added two special herbs to the mix, one is Dragonlily, and the other is Grannyvine."

Dr. Garcia raised an eyebrow, "Grannyvine?"