18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 84

Though Stella was hard at work, she was aware that Cooper, their faithful dog, was a trustworthy companion. Yet, she couldn't fully turn her back on him, and often glanced over her shoulder as though expecting a sneak attack.

Suddenly, she saw Rosie pulling out a Swiss army knife from her bag. Wait, what? Little Rosie knew how to handle a knife now?! Without thinking, she turned to Jasper. “Did you teach her that?”

Jasper didn't deny it. “Is it wrong?”

“No, no. It's...it's great.”

The harsh realities of life forced growth. From hurricanes to floods and freezing cold, many innocent children had indeed learned the ways of survival. Rosie couldn't be left behind. If she was, it would be like inviting the Grim Reaper to their door.

A harsh lesson it was, sure, but it was effective.

Chopping bamboo was quick. They cut them into equal lengths and bundled them together with some rope. Rosie volunteered to drag the bundle back. Jasper tied a few pieces for her, warning her not to get tired halfway.

“I'll bring these back home.”

There were many people around. Some children were dressed in tattered clothes, but all of them were chopping wood with determination. Seeing them, Rosie felt motivated to work even harder.

After preparing the bamboo, Jasper asked Stella, “Do you need firewood?”

Arcadia had plenty of firewood, but it wasn't easy to actually use it. “What about you?”

“Maybe a little?”

So, they cut down a pine tree together, planning to split it and bring it back.

The Moore family’s father and son, each chopped down a pine tree, but it was a struggle to bring them back. They were academics and not used to such manual labor.

The climb uphill was tough, but the descent was even more challenging. The snow had turned into icy shards. If they slipped, they would tumble down the hill, possibly losing their lives.

They were careful, helping each other, taking one step at a time. Rosie was leading the way with her Swiss army knife, while Cooper guarded their rear. They worked as a team.

Stella wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all but felt a pang of sympathy too. Natural disasters had forced children to grow up too fast.

They made it down the hill without any mishaps. Cooper, as though understanding the situation, dragged a sled over. Stella loaded the sled with the heavy wood. Then, she put the bundled bamboo on top of the wood.

Cooper tried to pull the sled, but it was too heavy. He growled in frustration. ‘Human is sneaky!’

Rosie was dragging three pieces of bamboo. The ice made it a bit hard, but she managed.

Jasper was carrying firewood in one hand and dragging a large bundle of bamboo with the other, looking as if it was an easy task.

The Moore family watched them in awe.

Cooper tried to pull the sled again, and to his surprise, it moved easily. He turned around and saw Stella pushing from the back.

They received many envious looks from others. This dog was amazing, and much easier to handle than a child.

They took a break halfway, eating some food to regain their strength. During the break, Rosie slipped and fell. Jasper quickly went to help her, while Stella in front was pushing the sled with all her strength.