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 encourage Rosie

as she declared, "Fighting is easy. If anyone dares to

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

what did you get for the

"We got some tools,

wearing on her head, made

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

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

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

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 to bleed every month. It's such

have plenty. You keep

didn't insist, "Lukas and Cody are hooked. They want to go again tomorrow. Do you

few days.

laughed gleefully at the idea of

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

Stella had made a onesie thermal suit, with a hole for Cooper's tail. There was another hole at the rear

another hole. Not wanting to put

just come out of a coal mine with this

blunt,

her mistake and immediately covered her mouth, looking

this ugly thing off me. It's ruining

"No way, Cooper is the most handsome

amends, "Cooper isn't ugly. He's even more handsome than

at

his head, "I'm not lying, my

and nuzzled into her arms: 'If I'm so handsome, make

she chose a dark green 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 for Smoky and Snowy. It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't about looking good. As long

Rosie. Stella stopped him and handed him a nail gun, "I

"Keep it."

was surprised. This was a life-saving tool, and he was just giving it to