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.

his ear, "Don't

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

past, she always felt inadequate. She trained hard every day, 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 just too

"Rosie, what did you get for

quickly, "We got some tools, textbooks,

currently wearing on her head, made

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

think it's worth it, it's

anyway, Jasper

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

"I have plenty. You

insist, "Lukas and Cody are hooked. They want

few days. You

laughed gleefully at the idea of

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

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

another hole. Not wanting to put

just come out of a

was blunt, "It

realized her mistake and immediately covered her mouth, looking

this

him, "No way, Cooper is

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

at Stella,

my dog is the most handsome on

that and nuzzled into her

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.

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

"Keep it."

This was a life-saving tool,