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, "Don't encourage

already riled up, her small fists clenched as she declared, "Fighting is easy. If anyone dares to bully me, I'll beat

the past, she always felt inadequate. She trained 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 strong. The boy who tried to steal her candy couldn't even beat her with

did you get

responded quickly, "We got some tools, textbooks,

fluffy hairband, which she was currently wearing on her head,

out on brother's fish? Cody

think it's worth it, it's

different needs, and anyway,

and a lighter. Angela passed her a pack of sanitary pads, "Even

"I have plenty. You

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

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

laughed gleefully at the idea

to continue her project. Finally, she had finished her first thermal suit for Cooper. She called him over, "Cooper, come here."

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

another hole. Not wanting to

come out of a coal mine

blunt, "It looks

her mistake and immediately covered her mouth, looking at Stella with innocent eye. 'I didn't

the suit: 'Get this ugly thing

Cooper is the most handsome dog in

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

at

not lying, my dog is the most handsome on the

pleased with that and nuzzled into her arms: 'If I'm so handsome,

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 fabric to make a suit for Smoky

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

"Keep it."

This was a life-saving tool,