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

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

but was no match for her brother. But after getting into a fight with someone else

"Rosie, what did you get for the fish

"We got some tools, textbooks,

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

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

as long as you think it's worth it,

needs, and anyway, Jasper wasn't short of

pads, and a lighter. Angela passed her a pack of

refused, "I have plenty. You keep

They want to go

home for a few days. You go have fun."

gleefully at the idea

spent 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

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

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

out of a coal mine with this black

was blunt, "It

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

the suit: 'Get this ugly

comforted him, "No way, Cooper is the most handsome

even more handsome than my brother, and the suit Stella made is

looked at Stella, "Woof!"

lying, my dog is the

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

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.

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

"Keep it."

life-saving tool, and he was just giving it