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As darkness fell on the desert, the lights of the town came on It wasn't all that far Surely they could make it to town in a few hours

"Should I start a fire, Mom? The kids are cold"

Carmen resisted a smile at Jonathan's reference to the kids "No A fire could be seen for a long ways and we don't knoho ht show up"

"I could build it by those boulders over there" Jonathan indicated soood idea to let the children sleep for a few hours until the ed herself and looked up at Carather some sticks - but be careful"

"I know," Jonathan said "There could be snakes Gosh, you'd think we didn't have snakes back home"

They had snakes in Arkansas, but the kids weren't out at night gathering sticks, either She looked at Destiny "You stay here with Natalie and Matthew"

Carh sticks to make a small fire Carmen tended the horses while Jonathan built the fire She stood looking down at the desert So to stay alive so that they could get over the

Part of her felt the urgency to keep ive Alex the opportunity to catch up with the right now?

Natalie and Matthew began crying She turned and walked back to the area where Jonathan was building the fire It was tiny, but it gave off so?" she asked the twins, as if she didn't know

"We're hungry," Natalie whimpered

Carmen sat between them and put an ar to eat" She pointed at the lights in the distance "See those lights? That's a town When we get there, we'll get soive you some water to drink and you rest for a little while When theto eat"

She gave them each some water and held them until they fell asleep She was their ive them what they needed She had always felt co fa able to provide for her children before

She gently laid the twins close to the small fire and moved so that she could see the slope to the valley Where was Alex? He probably thought they were in town by now, getting help Tears stung her eyes The sooner they got down to the town and et help