18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 65

The first time Rosie got into a fight, it left a deep impression on her young mind. She clung to Jasper's neck, "When I grow up, I'll protect you too." "Alright."

"I'll protect Stella too, and Cooper."

"Alright."

Next, they sold fish, with Jasper showing her the ropes.

Stella listened silently. Jasper's teaching methods were rough, but in a world where order had collapsed, maybe Rosie would have been worse off if they'd stuck to the old ways of kindness and gentleness. "Yes, what your brother taught you isn't wrong."

Curious, Stella asked Rosie, "Have you ever been hungry or been beaten up?"

Rosie lowered her head, nervously fiddling with her clothes.

"That's okay. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"When Jasper didn't come home, I was so hungry. My cousin bullied me, and my aunt scolded me."

"Do you want to go through that again?"

"No!" Rosie shook her head vehemently, her voice tinged with a sob. "I don't want to."

"Well, remember that feeling. If anyone ever treats you like that again, you fight back. Don't be afraid. They can't beat you."

"But my aunt said the police would take me away."

"As long as you're not the one starting trouble, the police won't take you away." Stella comforted the little girl, "Today, when you fought, the police didn't come to get you, did they?"

Relieved, Rosie said, "I'll listen to Stella and Jasper. No one will bully me anymore."

Cooper growled his agreement from the side.

tugged at his ear, "Don't

up, her small fists clenched as she declared, "Fighting is easy.

hard every day, but was no match for her brother. But after getting into a fight with someone else today, she realized that she wasn't weak. Jasper was just too

did you get for

"We got some tools, textbooks, a dress,

wearing on

fish? Cody and Lukas said

you think it's

different needs, and anyway, Jasper

and a lighter. Angela passed her a pack of sanitary pads, "Even in the apocalypse, we still have

"I have plenty. You keep

"Lukas and Cody are hooked. They want to go again tomorrow.

staying home for a few days. You go

gleefully at the idea of a day

Stella sat on the couch to continue her project. Finally, she had finished her first thermal suit for Cooper. She called

with a hole for

Not wanting to

like he had just come out of a coal mine with this

was blunt,

and immediately covered her mouth, looking at Stella with innocent

this ugly thing

him, "No way, Cooper is the most

more handsome than my brother, and the suit Stella made is

looked at

petted his head, "I'm not lying, my dog is the most handsome on the

into her arms: 'If I'm so handsome, make

dark green fabric. While making the suit, she observed Cooper's reactions. Unfortunately, his thick fur meant he didn't feel the change in temperature now, so he didn't react to the suit. When she finished the second suit, she used the leftover

to pick up Rosie. Stella stopped him and handed him a nail gun, "I almost

"Keep it."

was surprised. This was a life-saving tool, and he was just