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, "Don't encourage Rosie to

already riled up, her small fists clenched as she declared, "Fighting is easy. If anyone dares

But after getting into a fight with someone else today, she realized that she wasn't weak. Jasper

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

quickly, "We got some tools,

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

on brother's fish? Cody

think

had different needs, and anyway,

were more 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

"I have plenty. You

and Cody are hooked. They want to

I'm staying home for a few days. You go

the idea of a day

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

with a hole for Cooper's tail. There was another hole at

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

just come out of a coal

was blunt, "It looks

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

'Get this ugly thing off me. It's

way, Cooper is the most

more handsome than my brother, and

at

lying, my dog is the most handsome

that and nuzzled into her arms: 'If I'm

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 and Snowy. It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't

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

"Keep it."

tool, and he was just