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.

his ear,

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

her brother. But after getting into a fight with someone else today, she realized that she wasn't weak. Jasper was just too strong. The

asked, "Rosie, what did you get for the fish you

responded quickly, "We got some tools, textbooks, a dress, and

was currently wearing on her head, made her look even

on brother's fish? Cody and Lukas said we only got useless

as long as you think it's worth it,

different needs, and anyway,

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

refused, "I have plenty. You keep

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

home for a few days. You go have fun." No need to

gleefully at the idea

couch to continue her project. Finally, she

cold was brutal, so Stella had made a onesie thermal suit, with a hole for

hole. Not wanting to put diapers on

just come out of a coal mine

was blunt, "It

looking at Stella

suit: 'Get this ugly thing off me.

Cooper is the most handsome dog in the

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

at Stella, "Woof!"

lying, my dog is the most handsome on the

her arms: 'If I'm so handsome, make me another

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

came to pick up Rosie. Stella stopped him and handed him

"Keep it."

a life-saving tool, and he was just giving