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.

at his ear, "Don't

Rosie was already riled up, her small fists clenched as she declared, "Fighting

brother. But after getting into a fight with someone else today,

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

got some tools, textbooks,

which she was currently wearing on her

on brother's fish? Cody and Lukas said we

long as you think it's

anyway, Jasper

practical: two 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

refused, "I have plenty. You

and Cody are hooked. They want

home for a few days. You

gleefully at the idea of

Rosie math and language. When Rosie finished her homework, Stella sat on the couch to continue her project. Finally, she had finished her

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

to put diapers on Cooper, she

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

blunt, "It

her mouth, looking at Stella with innocent

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

"No way, Cooper is the most handsome

more handsome than my

looked at Stella,

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

with that and nuzzled into her arms:

he didn't feel the change in temperature now, so he didn't react to the suit. When she finished the

pick up Rosie. Stella stopped him and handed him a nail gun,

"Keep it."

tool, and he was