"That sounds great." Samantha sighed. "I guess it'll just be the two of us going there."

"Give your friends time. They'll come around."

"I doubt it. Prudence is still a big believer in the Way. Even though she knows the reverend was evil and a lot of his rules lies, she thinks it's the only way she can get to Heaven."

"Oh, I see. And that Way keeps her here?"

Samantha nodded. "Reverend Crane never wanted anyone to leave. They were his flock. The only way they could ever be saved was to do what he said."

"The guy sounds pretty crazy."

"I guess he was."

"But Prudence doesn't think so?"

"I think deep down she might. She's just too scared to admit it."

She showed him around the fields, which had not taken too much damage from the storm. He seemed impressed that a group of children could manage such a large farm. "We have to. It's how we stay alive," she said.

"That's true. But you won't have to worry about that once we get to the mainland."

"I know."

They went into the barns so Samantha could introduce him to her animals. Uncle Hector shied away from the pens, his back almost to the wall. Samantha reached into the pen to scratch behind Sarah's ear. "She won't hurt you. She's a good cow. Aren't you?"

"I can see she's a good cow from here."

"Don't you like animals?"

"Small animals I like: cats, dogs, and of course fish. These monsters? Not so much."

"Sarah isn't a monster. She's my friend. Aren't you, girl?" The cow's head bobbed in response. "See?"

"That's great. You're a regular Dr. Doolittle."

"Who?"

"It's an old story about a doctor who can talk to animals."

"Oh."

Uncle Hector backed away even more at the sight of the chickens. Samantha couldn't blame him too much with the way the chickens treated her. She hurried him along to the horses. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Uncle Hector smiled but didn't get any closer. "You always said you wanted a pony. I guess you got your wish."

"It's not really mine. They belong to the town. We-they-use them to plow the fields."

"You don't ever take them for a ride?"

"We don't have any saddles."

"That's too bad."

She finished her tour with the meadow. They sat on the grass to stare out at the ravaged landscape. "This is where we go for lessons, when the weather is good."

"Lessons?"

"Bible study mostly. Miss Brigham lets me teach reading and writing too."

"You're a teacher too? Seems like you have a lot of hats, my queen."




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