18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 453

Cooper sniffed Rosie's clothes and immediately backed away, shaking his head with a look of utter disdain.

"Ugh, no way I'm touching that!"

Rosie's heart shattered like a fragile glass ornament, her spirits plummeting to rock bottom.

Stella came over and tugged Cooper's ear, "Off you go, chill out elsewhere. Stop picking on Rosie."

After a brief scolding for Cooper, she turned to the sensitive Rosie, chuckling with a hint of exasperation, "There's no smell, neither your brother nor I can smell anything. Cooper's just yanking your chain." Rosie took another sniff of her clothes, and her mood brightened like a sun piercing through storm clouds, "Cooper, you're such a mischief-maker."

Cooper wagged his tail with a grin, playfully tugging at Rosie's pant leg.

"Come on, let's play!"

By noon, hunger struck like an unwelcome guest, demanding attention even when the appetite was half of its usual size.

Area B boasted a seawater filtration system, but fresh water was still a luxury, rationed to half a bucket per person per day, with strict timings for its availability.

For a shower, one had to hoard water, with communal baths and toilets on the first floor.

With water being such a precious commodity, using it for showers seemed wasteful. A quick wipe-down was a luxury, and any surplus could be bartered.

To save on Arcadia time, the trio and their dog had a pact - they'd digest their meal and then all head in together for a quick wash, wrapping up within thirty minutes, no exceptions. Cooper didn't need a shower; he had The Garden upstairs and downstairs to run and catch the breeze to his heart's content.

If he got dirty, they'd wash him afterwards, dumping the dirty water back into Arcadia.

Towel-drying her hair, Jasper asked with concern, "Rosie, how's the job?"

Don't ask. Just the thought brings up a stench with every breath.

Fresh into the workforce, Rosie's worldview was crumbling, "Brother, some folks in the Maggot Crew are sneaking bites."

"Sneaking bites?" Stella almost choked on her words.

wash the maggots clean and stuff them into their mouths when the boss isn't looking,"

"What did you do when

hesitated, "I pretended

"Why?"

thin. They must be starving every day." Rosie had her reasoning, "If they had a choice, if they weren't so hungry, they wouldn't do it."

hunger, and that feeling was

who cares about eating maggots when people feast on

it stand to reason the boss could too, if they

just a case of turning a blind

had no reason to expose them and

were peaceful times, their actions would be wrong. But in these

long as it doesn't affect you, sometimes it's okay to turn

approval, Rosie finally breathed easier,

had lost their significance in the face of disaster. Survivors did whatever it took, and as long as it didn't threaten one's own survival, it was acceptable. Jasper seized the

moment,

is never easy. We enjoy our peace because others carry the burden. We have a base to live in, where we can defer rent or food

but we can't just lie back and wait for others to

only through the hard work of every survivor that

with resolve, "I

course, if work gets tough or you're feeling

up, and your sister-in-law and I will help you find

felt even more determined,

little ones were asleep, Jasper whispered to Stella, "I'll look for a job tomorrow. I need to set the right example for Rosie. Can't have her thinking it's okay to loaf around all day." Stella rewarded his dedication with a

work hard outside, and she'd definitely

accompanied her, aiming to find a job with light

with the doting brother continuing to

at nine to freshen up, eat breakfast, and pass the time with medical

spirits were markedly improved, even cheerful, "Sister-in-law, I can take care of the maggots on my own now. I'm the fastest learner among the

them with the adorable image

afternoon, Jasper returned with good news. His striking looks landed him a job at Area A's administrative center, maintaining law and order as a team