The shelves had rice, flour, and salt. That was all. But to Ivy, it was still something. If people wanted to cook or make their own meals, they would need these things.
Even the smallest amount of rice or flour could make a family feel full for a night. She knew that when someone was hungry, even plain food could feel like a treasure.
There was another item too, but Ivy had not put it on display yet. Cotton.
Usually, the power only gave her food, but for some reason, she had found herself with cotton. She had no idea why cotton appeared.
She sat behind the counter, staring at the small piles of food. The store looked so empty, but she still held hope.
"If I have food," she whispered to herself, "people will come. And if people come, I can grow this place step by step."
She thought about the world outside. People risked their lives killing zombies for crystals, but crystals alone could not fill an empty stomach. If she had rice, flour, and salt, they would need her.
