LOSS System: Last Store Standing

Vane came into the store a short while later.

“You wanted to see me?”

Jack smiled. “I want to prepare a surprise for Ava, and I need her father’s help.”

Vane paused. “What do you need me to do?”

Jack pointed to the empty shelves. “Move those outside and clear some space. Then find a tent, a few floor mats, an air mattress, and anything else we can use to decorate it.”

“I want to make a little space in here just for Ava. Susan probably found some children’s things while sorting the supplies. Bring those over too.”

Vane’s eyes lit up.

“I’ll get started.”

He hurried out and returned a while later with Reed. While Reed moved the shelves outside, Vane went through the storeroom for everything Jack had asked for.

By the time Reed carried out the last shelf, Vane had gathered a two-person tent, several floor mats, an air mattress, a few strings of decorative lights, and a bag of colorful decorations. He had also found a cardboard box among the supplies Susan had sorted.

When they opened it, they found stuffed toys, building blocks, a small ball, and several storybooks filled with colorful pictures.

Reed looked over everything on the floor, then glanced at Vane.

“What’s all this for?”

“We’re making a place just for Ava,” Jack explained. “She’s still a child. She shouldn’t have to spend every day following the adults around.”

Reed thought about it, then agreed.

“You’re right. How should we set it up?”

Jack smiled. “You want to help?”

“Sure.”

“Then work on it with Vane.”

Vane and Reed cleaned the cleared area and covered the floor with several thick mats.

Vane then opened the package containing the two-person tent. It was a pop-up model, so it didn’t take long to set up. He placed the air mattress inside and connected it to an electric pump. The mattress quickly filled with air.

Reed hung the decorative lights around the top of the tent, while the colorful decorations went near the entrance. The simple tent immediately looked much brighter.

Vane arranged the toys inside. He placed a stuffed bear on the mattress, set the building blocks and small ball to one side, and stacked the storybooks beside them.

Vane picked up one of the storybooks and turned through several pages. He had seen books like this in the ruins before, but most were torn, faded, or too damaged to read. He had never thought of bringing one home. Food, water, and anything useful for survival had always come first.

He looked at the colorful pictures, then placed the book beside the mattress where Ava could easily reach it.

Reed handed him another stuffed toy. Vane adjusted it several times before setting it beside the bear.

“She’ll like it,” Reed said.

Vane looked around the tent once more.

“I hope so.”

Jack watched from the folding cot as Vane continued adjusting everything.

“That’s enough. If you keep going, Ava will be back before you finish.”

Vane finally stopped and looked over the small space he had prepared for her. A smile appeared on his face.

Just then, Ray brought Ava back into the store.

After her bath, Ava wore an oversized shirt that reached almost to her calves, making it look like a simple dress. With the dust washed away, she looked like a little porcelain doll.

She stopped the moment she saw the tent and stared at it with wide eyes. Then she looked at Jack, clearly wondering why it was there.

Even so, she hadn’t forgotten the question she had come to ask.

Ava hurried over to the folding cot.

“Uncle Jack, I finished my bath. Can you tell me what ‘cool’ is now?”

Jack smiled instead of answering directly.

“Do you feel more comfortable in here or outside?”

Ava thought about it.

“In here.”

“Do you know why?”

She frowned and tried to find the right words, but eventually shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

Jack gently patted her head.

“You feel more comfortable because it isn’t hot in here. That feeling is what Uncle Cass meant by ‘cool.’”

Ava tilted her head, still not fully understanding.

“So this is ‘cool’?”

“That’s right.”

Ava still looked confused, but the tent and the toys soon drew her attention away.

Jack noticed where she was looking.

“I prepared all of that for you. Do you like it?”

“I do!” Ava replied, nodding eagerly.

“Then go take a look. Starting today, that will be your home.”

Ava went still. She looked from Jack to the tent, hardly able to believe what she had heard.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Vane stepped beside her and gently patted her head.

“Go on.”

That was enough to convince her.

Ava ran toward the tent, then slowed as she reached the entrance. She carefully stepped inside and touched the decorative lights before crouching beside the air mattress and pressing down on it.

The soft, springy surface immediately caught her interest. She climbed onto the mattress and sank into it, only to notice the stuffed bear beside her.

Ava quickly picked it up and hugged it to her chest. She looked over the bear again and again, unable to stop smiling.

Jack watched her with a smile of his own.

“Don’t get too busy playing. Uncle Jack has another surprise for you.”

Ava poked her head out of the tent, still holding the bear.

“Another surprise?”

“Of course.”

Jack turned to Ray. “Could you get some ice pops from the freezer? Bring one for everyone.”

“What are ice pops?”

“They’re the things in the colorful wrappers. Bring some over, and I’ll show you how to eat them.”

Ray followed his directions and soon returned with several brightly wrapped ice pops. She handed them out to everyone inside the store.

Jack tore open one of the wrappers.

“Open it like this, then eat it.”

The others copied him. The moment they tasted the cold, sweet ice pops, they all stopped.

Ava took one bite while holding the stuffed bear in her other arm.

“Ah! It bit my mouth!”

Everyone laughed.

Vane and Reed had already tried iced cola, so the cold wasn’t completely new to them. Ray, however, had never tasted anything like it before.

She looked at the ice pop in her hand.

“So this is an ice pop? It’s sweet—and really good.”

Jack smiled and asked Reed to take a few more outside for the others.

By the time Reed left the store, Ava had already finished hers and moved on to the building blocks. Ray stood by the tent watching her, clearly interested.

“If you want to play, go join her,” Jack said.

Ray looked a little embarrassed, but she didn’t refuse. She went inside and sat beside Ava, and the two soon began playing with the blocks.

Vane stood nearby, watching his daughter play with a smile on her face. His eyes slowly turned red.

After a moment, he looked at Jack.

“Thank you.”