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.

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

didn't judge, "What did you

pretended I didn't see

"Why?"

be starving every day." Rosie had her reasoning, "If they had a choice, if

known hunger, and that feeling

about eating

it stand to reason

case of turning a blind eye

had no reason to expose them and bring trouble upon

were peaceful times, their actions would be wrong. But in these hard times, they're fighting

wrong, it's forgivable. As long as it doesn't affect you, sometimes it's okay to turn a blind eye and not make

brother's approval, Rosie finally breathed

it took, and as long as it didn't threaten one's own survival, it was acceptable. Jasper seized the moment, "Can

thought for a moment, "Brother,

our peace because others carry the burden. We have a base to live in, where we can defer rent or food payments, and receive fresh water daily, all because our country planned ahead.

country gives us a home, but we can't just lie back and wait for others to do the work. What

country. It's only through the hard

with resolve,

work gets tough or you're feeling down, don't keep it

your sister-in-law and I will help you

her brother, Rosie felt even more

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

and she'd

with the sun, and Jasper accompanied her, aiming to find a job with light duties and close

siblings set out together, with the doting

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

I can take care of the maggots on my own now.

mentally replaced them with the adorable image of

afternoon, Jasper returned with good news. His striking looks landed him a job at