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

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

fight with someone else today, she realized that she

asked, "Rosie, what did you get for the fish

quickly, "We got some tools, textbooks, a dress,

wearing on her head, made her

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

as you think it's worth it, it's

different needs, and anyway, Jasper wasn't

Lukas and Cody got in exchange 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

"I have plenty.

want to go again tomorrow. Do you want to

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

the idea

Rosie finished her homework, Stella sat on the couch to continue her project. Finally, she had finished her first thermal suit for

cold was brutal, so Stella had made a onesie thermal suit, with a hole for Cooper's tail. There was another hole at

wanting to put diapers on Cooper, she

come out of

was blunt, "It

looking at Stella

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

way, Cooper is the

to make amends, "Cooper isn't ugly. He's even more handsome than

looked at Stella,

my dog is the

into her arms: 'If I'm so handsome, make

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

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

"Keep it."

surprised. This was a life-saving tool,