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The ground was hard and flat in places, scoured to hardpan by the wind, which had also torn through barbed wire as if it were strands of hair, ripped it away, sent it flying There were bits of it on every building; tumbleweeds stuck to it and then were covered in drifts of sand

She saheelbarrow standing upright, half buried in sand

Could she do it? Push him two miles to town in a wheelbarrow?

Of course She could take him as far as she needed to

She walked unsteadily toward it and lay hi over the edge She positioned his head carefully on the blanket

“Mo-ht … hurts”

“Close your eyes, baby,” she said “Go to sleep We’re going to see Doc Rheinhart”

Elsa picked up the rough wooden handles and headed for the driveway

“Elsa!” She heard Rose yelling for her, but didn’t stop, didn’t listen She was in a panic to go, to get hied, but what else could she do?

“Elsa, let us help!”

Elsa plunged forward The wheelbarrow seeht back She felt every bump in the driveway, every furrow like a blow to her spine She made it to the main road

Desolation Sand in heaps Sheds covered by it; fences fallen

She turned onto the road and kept going, breathing hard

Heat beat down on her Sweat blurred her vision, ran between her breasts in itchy streams

She stubbed her toe on so buried in the sand and stumbled The wheelbarrorenched out of her hands, clattered forward Ant hit his head on the ground