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.

tugged at his ear, "Don't

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

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

"Rosie, what did you get for the fish

quickly, "We got some tools, textbooks,

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

out on brother's fish? Cody

as long as you think it's

and anyway, Jasper wasn't short of

more practical: two packs of salt, dried vegetables, sanitary pads, and a lighter. Angela passed her a pack

have

didn't insist, "Lukas and Cody are hooked. They want to go

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

laughed gleefully at the idea of a day

the day teaching Rosie math and language. When Rosie finished 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 suit was black, to hide

so Stella had made a onesie thermal suit, with a hole for Cooper's

wanting to put diapers on Cooper, she

come out of a coal mine with this black

was blunt, "It

her mouth, looking at Stella with innocent eye.

the suit: 'Get this ugly thing

way, Cooper is the

isn't ugly. He's even more handsome than my brother,

looked at Stella,

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

her arms: 'If I'm

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 and Snowy. It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't about looking good. As long as it

stopped him and handed him a nail gun, "I almost forgot to

"Keep it."

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