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Chenda wrote quietly in her notebook, looking up from time to time. The fort was busy, as it often was, but it seemed like everyone was doing their best to be extra quiet.
It made sense, with the ridden being as aggressive as they were. Nobody wanted the Fort to get overrun.
Though it did mean that there was less for Chenda to observe.
It wasn’t bad being the KSC vendor for the Fort, the general was never cruel to her and sometimes people would sit and talk.
Jason and Holly would joke with her and fill her in on all the juicy gossip going on, while Coach would sit with her and reminisce about before the Collapse.
Coach mainly talked about working at the martial arts studio after school and teaching her little sister's class. Chenda would laugh at the stories and occasionally offer one of her own, the memories of going to the museum(she begged her father for a lizard for weeks after) or helping her dad cook in the back of his restaurant.
She never spoke about her mother. Whenever she thought about her mother, what happened played in her head and she would have to grip her arms to keep from crying. The memory of her mother hurt too much.
Today no one came to talk to her, except Mom to see how she was doing, and the rushing around gave Chenda an idea of why.
The only time the Fort was this busy was when new survivors were found.
The sentries shouted and Chenda shook herself from her work, leaning forward to watch the gate. Holly and Jason helped open it, and Jason gave Chenda a nod when he saw her watching.
He knew she was looking for her father, and did his best to tell her of every new survivor he saw.
The general stepped forward to give his speech and Chenda leaned back to look over her book again. If her father was there she couldn’t see him and there was no use staring at people.
The general's speech usually lasted about twenty minutes(she’d timed it about ten times now, that was average), with Mom joining halfway through. The older woman had only been there about two months now, but people warmed up to her faster than they did the general so it made sense for her to reassure people.
Chenda stayed focused on her book, putting all her attention on getting her math right and tracking her inventory.
Footsteps approached and Chenda heard Jason speak, “Hey Chenda.”
“Hey Jason, what do you…” her voice died in her throat and tears welled in her eyes, “Ba.”
“Chenda,” Heng smiled at his daughter, helping her up from the picnic table and holding her close, “My darling daughter.”
“You’re okay,” Chenda hid her face in the crook of his neck and cried, “You’re okay.”
“I’m okay. Are you alright?” Heng held her head in his hands, looking over her, “Are you hurt?”
“I’m not hurt.”
Her father smiled at her, wiping away her tears, and wrapped his arms tight around her, rocking them both back and forth, “You’re safe now sweetheart. I’m not gonna let anything happen.”
“Meh is gone.”
“I know sweetheart,” Heng kissed her head and swallowed the lump in his throat, “I know, but you know all she wants is for you to be safe.”
“I miss her.”
“I do too.”
Jason smiled at them, quietly walking away and pulling his concerned mother away, speaking quietly with her and the general.
Chenda pulled back, her small smile fading away when her father grimaced in pain, “Ba? You’re hurt!”
“It’s nothing bad Chenda, just a few scrapes,” Heng tried to reassure her, “I’ll be fine with a couple of hours of sleep.”
“Will you let Doc look at it? She’s good at what she does and she’s an actual doctor and-”
“Chenda calm down,” Heng interrupted her rambling, taking her hands, “If you want someone to make sure I’m okay, then we’ll do that. Just lead me there daughter.”
She nodded, wiping her eyes and turning to pack up her things, securing them under the picnic table before taking her father's hand. He didn’t protest and followed, standing silently as Chenda talked to Doc. Doc just nodded, smiling kindly and asking the needed questions. Heng put up with the poking and prodding far better than Chenda thought he would, calmly talking to Doc about the fort and the people around.
When Doc gave the all clear Chenda sighed a sigh of relief and hugged her father, sniffing quietly, “You’re really okay.”
“I’m okay daughter. It’s all gonna be okay.”
For the first time in months, after watching her mother die and living through the stress of the KSC founding, Chenda could believe it.
Sitting in her father's arms and hearing from Doc that he wasn’t injured, Chenda could finally believe that things were going to be okay.