18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 124

For a six-year-old, the kid was doing pretty darn well. Jasper's parenting was a success. However, in this situation, it seemed inappropriate to have outsiders involved.

Stella patted her belly, "I can't eat anymore. I am so full I could sleep. I gotta go lie down. See ya tonight." She grabbed her dog and made a hasty exit.

Rosie clung to her brother's arm, "I'm sorry, Jasper."

He comforted her, "You didn't do anything wrong. But things are different now. People are hungry out there. If they knew we had good stuff, they'd come to steal it with knives. We'd lose not just our goods, but your brother or Stella could get hurt. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

Rosie was frightened and buried herself into her brother's chest, "I don't want you to die. I miss mom and dad."

"Don't worry. Even if mom and dad aren't here, I'll protect you."

Sometimes, pain was the best teacher.

Jasper quietly comforted her, all while teaching her a valuable lesson.

"I won't tell anyone about it, not even Cooper," Rosie promised.

As the temperature continued to drop, their routines consisted of staying warm and practicing survival skills. The potatoes that Stella had planted didn't require her constant attention; Jasper took good care of them.

Even if her secret base, Arcadia, was exposed, Stella had to keep up appearances. Jasper didn't know exactly what she had, after all. So about once a week, she would venture out, "Need anything?"

"No, thanks."

Each time, she would return with her bag full of supplies and her dog in tow.

Just as she was about to head out this time, Jasper suddenly spoke up, "Let's go together."

Caught off guard, Stella tried to protest, "Shouldn't someone stay at the 18th floor? How about we take turns?"

"No need," Jasper dismissed her concern, "The Moore family is off today. We can just tell them."

Rosie ran up to them, "We're going shopping, Stella."

With their gear ready, there was no point in arguing.

But what about the dog? With three members of the 18th floor missing, they couldn't afford to let Cooper roam around.

Jasper asked softly, "Do you want to stay home, or do you want to get in the bag?"

Cooper tilted his head, then turned around and fetched a large backpack.

Reluctantly, Stella sighed. She wasn't thrilled about carrying a dog that weighed nearly 80 pounds through town.

Jasper loaded Cooper into the backpack, leaving a small opening for him to breathe, "Let's go."

Rosie grabbed Stella's hand, "Let's go shopping."

And so, after notifying the Moore family, they left the building with Cooper and Rosie.

The security during the day was decent. As the city constantly announced new job opportunities, those who lacked the skills or the will to rob others chose to earn their living through honest labor.

When Stella and Jasper showed up, they immediately caught the attention of several watchful eyes. Stella was no longer the impulsive girl she once was, and with the improved security measures in place, killing was no longer an option unless absolutely necessary.

With no security patrols around, Stella decided to take out her weapon—a high-quality plastic replica. Without saying a word, she scared away the first group of people, who fled in panic.

The second group, confused by the sudden turn of events, decided to retreat as well.

Rosie admired her, "You're so cool, Stella."

As soon as they arrived at the department store, Monkey, wrapped up in layers of clothing, ran up to them, "Do you have any of that stuff from last time?"

Stella was taken aback. They had already used over a thousand condoms? She firmly declined, "No more."