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"Is there a doctor in town?"

"Not exactly"

"More of alike that"

"What's wrong? You look like you just lost your best friend"

"It's nothing It's just that I didn't leave town on the best terave him an abbreviated version of what had happened her last day in town, ending with her screa at Prudence, Rebecca, and the other children "I knorong I was just so angry I was tired of looking after theet it You had a lot on your shoulders It wasn't really fair at your age and hat happened to yourof me to snap at them, especially Prudence She was et there you can ht still be mad at me"

"You kids ork it out"

Sauess there's only one way to find out We'd better get going" She took up the net again and then began pulling him up the trail, into the forest

Saain when she dropped the stretcher She hadn't e, her hands had gone slack "It's gone," she whispered "It's all gone"

"What's going on, Lucy?"

"The town It's destroyed" All that re was the church, which looked relatively untouched The rest had been reduced to piles of wood and stone The dorone "This is awful"

"If you want to leave o look for your friends-"

"No, I can't leave you We'll go to the church Soone soone down to the barns, Miss Brigham's cabin, or even the Fountain of Youth cave Or without her there to help Miss Brighaone anywhere Maybe the dormitories had collapsed on the She couldn't jump to conclusions yet Not only for herself, but for Uncle Hector as well He needed her help; she couldn't fall to pieces on him

Her silent prayers were answered when the front door of the church opened Little Annie burst from the church to race towards Samantha "Samantha's back!" she shouted "Samantha's back!"

Sao so she could catch Annie The little girl threw her ar She felt Annie's tears on her cheek "It's all right," Sah Annie's platinum hair "I'm fine"