18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel 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.

"They wash the maggots clean and stuff them into their mouths when the boss isn't looking," Rosie recounted, feeling queasy at the memory.

Jasper didn't judge, "What did you do when you caught them?"

Rosie hesitated, "I pretended I didn't see anything."

"Why?"

"It's wrong to steal food, but they're so 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."

Because, honestly, it's disgusting.

Rosie had known hunger, and that feeling was unforgettable.

Faced with a life-or-death situation, who cares about eating maggots when people feast on lambs?

And if she could catch them on her very first day, didn’t it stand to reason the boss could too, if they really wanted to?

It was just a case of turning a blind eye because it wasn’t too excessive.

She had no reason to expose them and bring trouble upon herself.

Jasper was pleased with Rosie's answer, "If these were peaceful times, their actions would be wrong. But in these hard times, they're fighting to survive.

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

Relieved by her brother's approval, Rosie finally breathed easier, "Yeah."

Stella was equally relieved. Right and wrong 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, "Can you handle the work?"

Rosie thought for a moment, "Brother, I can do this."

Her brother beamed with pride, "Rosie, surviving 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 payments, and receive fresh water daily, all because our country planned ahead. Have you seen survivors from other countries with these luxuries?