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.

ear,

declared, "Fighting

someone else today, she realized that she wasn't weak. Jasper was just too strong. The boy who tried to steal her candy couldn't even beat her with one hand,

the subject, Stella asked, "Rosie, what did you get

"We got some tools, textbooks, a dress,

hairband, which she was currently wearing on her

brother's fish? Cody and Lukas said we only

as you think it's worth

and anyway, Jasper wasn't

and a lighter. Angela passed her a pack of sanitary pads, "Even in the apocalypse, we still have to bleed every month. It's

have

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

thanks, I'm staying home for a few days.

at the

teaching Rosie math and language. When Rosie finished her homework, Stella sat on the couch to continue her project. Finally, she had finished her first thermal suit for Cooper. She called

cold was brutal, so Stella had made a onesie thermal suit, with a hole for Cooper's tail. There was another hole at the rear end, so he could

Not wanting to

had just come out of a coal mine with this

blunt, "It

her mouth, looking at Stella with innocent eye. 'I

at the suit: 'Get this ugly thing off me. It's

is

make amends, "Cooper isn't ugly. He's even more handsome than my brother, and the suit Stella made

looked at Stella,

my dog

that and nuzzled into her arms: 'If I'm so handsome, make me

to the suit. When she finished the second suit, she used the

stopped him and handed him a nail gun, "I

"Keep it."

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