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

riled up, her small fists clenched as she declared, "Fighting is easy. If anyone dares to

the 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 strong. The boy who tried to steal her candy couldn't even beat her with

what did

quickly, "We got some tools, textbooks, a dress, and a

currently wearing on her

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

long as you think it's worth

had different needs, and anyway, Jasper wasn't short

things Lukas and Cody got 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 still have

"I have

and Cody are hooked. They want to go again

thanks, I'm staying home for a few days. You go have fun." No

laughed gleefully at the idea of

her project. Finally, she had finished her first thermal suit for Cooper.

suit, with a hole for

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

he had just come out of

was blunt, "It

covered her mouth, looking at Stella

Cooper bit at the suit: 'Get this ugly

is the

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

looked at Stella, "Woof!"

"I'm not lying, my dog

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

fabric. 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 leftover fabric to make a suit

up Rosie. Stella stopped him and handed him

"Keep it."

was a life-saving tool,