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 Rosie to

she declared, "Fighting is easy. If

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

what did

quickly, "We got some tools, textbooks, a

pink bunny-shaped fluffy hairband, which she was currently wearing on her head, made her look even

Stella, did we lose out on brother's fish?

think it's

anyway, Jasper wasn't short

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

refused, "I have

"Lukas and Cody are hooked. They want to

staying home for a few days.

the idea of a

her homework, Stella sat on the couch to continue her project. Finally, she had finished her first thermal suit for Cooper. She called him over, "Cooper, come here." The

had made a onesie thermal suit, with a hole for Cooper's tail. There was another hole at the rear

be another hole. Not wanting to put diapers on Cooper, she cut another

had just come out of a coal mine

blunt, "It

her mouth, looking at

suit: 'Get this ugly thing off me. It's ruining my

is the most handsome

even more handsome than my brother, and the

looked at Stella, "Woof!"

lying, my dog is the

pleased with that and nuzzled into her arms:

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

handed him a

"Keep it."

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