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 encourage Rosie

fists clenched as she declared, "Fighting is easy. If anyone dares to bully me,

else today, she realized that she wasn't weak. Jasper was just too strong. The boy who tried to steal her candy couldn't even

asked, "Rosie, what did you get for

"We got some tools,

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

fish? Cody and Lukas said we only

think it's

needs, and anyway, Jasper

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

refused, "I have

"Lukas and Cody are hooked. They want to go again tomorrow.

days. You go have

the idea of

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

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

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

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

blunt, "It looks

and immediately covered her mouth, looking at Stella with

the suit: 'Get this ugly

"No way, Cooper is the

tried to make amends, "Cooper isn't ugly. He's even more handsome than my brother, and the

at Stella,

petted his head, "I'm not lying, my

pleased with that and nuzzled into her arms: 'If I'm so

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

to pick up Rosie. Stella stopped him and handed him a

"Keep it."

life-saving tool, and he