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

small fists clenched as she declared, "Fighting is easy.

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 tried to steal her candy

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

"We got some tools, textbooks,

currently wearing on her

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

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

different needs, and anyway, Jasper

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

refused, "I have plenty. You keep

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

home for a few days. You

at the idea of a

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

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

should be another hole. Not wanting to

out of a coal mine with this

blunt,

covered her mouth, looking at Stella with innocent eye. 'I

Cooper bit at the suit: 'Get this ugly thing

him, "No way, Cooper is the

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

looked at Stella,

"I'm not lying, my dog is the

that and nuzzled into her arms: 'If I'm so handsome, make me

While 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 suit, she used the

him and handed

"Keep it."

was a life-saving tool, and he was just