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

her small fists clenched as she declared, "Fighting is easy. If anyone dares to bully me, I'll

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 couldn't even beat her with one

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

responded quickly, "We got some tools,

currently wearing on her head, made her look even more

on brother's fish? Cody and Lukas said we only got useless

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

and anyway,

and a lighter. Angela passed her a pack of sanitary pads, "Even

"I have plenty.

They want to go again tomorrow.

few days.

laughed gleefully at the idea of

the rest of 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, with a hole for Cooper's tail.

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

come out of a coal mine with this black

blunt,

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

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

him, "No way, Cooper is the most

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

looked at Stella,

not lying, my dog is the most handsome

was pleased with that and nuzzled into her

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

Rosie. Stella stopped him and handed him a nail

"Keep it."

surprised. This was a life-saving tool,