18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 66

Stella returned home and harvested veggies, picked chives, and pulled celery. She also got some chicken. With ten kilograms of flour, it felt like it would take most of the day to finish. Jasper was by her side, washing the vegetables while Stella ground the meat with a manual meat grinder she had taken from Arcadia.

Once the dough was kneaded and ready, she taught him how to roll out the pie crust.

Jasper turned out to be quite meticulous, always making sure that the pie was perfectly round. He even used a round copper cutter to achieve this. Stella was impressed.

The filling was soon prepared and it was time to make the pie. Rosie, the little girl dashed into the kitchen, "Stella, I want to help too."

Always patient with children, Stella agreed and started teaching Rosie.

At first, Rosie's pie were quite messy, but Stella encouraged her, "Rosie, you're doing great. I bet your big brother will love these." Jasper just chuckled.

Cooper, was anxiously waiting by, looking quite disappointed that he couldn't help. 'Rosie's pie looks so ugly. If he had thumbs, he would make much better pies than hers.'

Rosie was determined to get it right. With some practice, she finally made a decent dumpling and proudly announced, "This one's for Stella."

"Why not for your big brother?" Jasper asked.

"Because Stella taught me. The next one will be for you, then Cooper, and then me."

With two people making pies, the process was quite efficient.

By the time they finished, it was past lunchtime. Stella baked the pies. "Let's have some pie now, and we'll make more in the afternoon."

The pie was served, and all, including the dog, enjoyed the meal. The pie was chewy and delicious, bursting with fresh ingredients.

Rosie, in her delight, exclaimed, "These are so good."

her, "We'll make them more

portion and then nudged his empty bowl towards

laughed, "You're becoming quite

after the meal, they continued making more

helped with the process, but his

help her big brother, "Jasper, your pie look funny." After saying this, afraid that he

to teach him,

and said in her cute, sweet voice, "No, you

the guidance of the little girl's

hi. Well, seemed she was

gentle teasing, they all had

the apartment next door came by, they too joined in the

the day, they had made about a hundred

tired but happy. She shared some of the pie with her

call from Jasper, "Stella, are we still up

"Sure," Stella replied.

archery, you can come over

agreed and headed over to Jasper's apartment. There, she saw a wooden target set up in the living room. Jasper handed her a crossbow, a weapon

strange, but its lethality was undoubted. Stella curiously asked, "Did you make this yourself?" This was a

concise way, Jasper replied, "I

Jasper didn't want to say more, Stella didn't insist on

structure, aiming, and shooting of the crossbow to her. Stella had basic knowledge

distance in the living room was insufficient, so Jasper took her to the corridor outside his room. He loaded an arrow on the stretched-out crossbow, and

when he

they too

wanted to move away.

her senses, cast the chaotic thoughts out of her mind, and concentrate on aiming. His warm hand gently supported her arm holding the