Read Crunch for Free Online Page A

rutted dirt road. Ahead was a large steel fence.
    â€œLet’s get out here for a minute. I want to show you something,” Maggie said, opening the door to a trash-covered dirt road studded with tumbleweeds.
    â€œSee that on the other side of the fence?”
    The teens peered through the fence. Past several miles of empty rolling hills they could see a busy freeway, homes, and businesses. In the far distance, skyscrapers thrust upwards like massive stalagmites.
    â€œOn the other side of this fence is the United States, and the city you see in the distance is San Diego,” Maggie pointed out. “But on this side of the fence, life is much different.”
    Bethany and the team remained silent as they took it all in: the shacks, rough block homes, and half-completed houses that pushed up to the fence line. Litter, mangy stray dogs, and a dirty confusion of colors, smells, and noises assaulted them.
    And yet, just a few miles away unimaginable wealth, beauty, order, and cleanliness sparkled in the hazy afternoon light.
    â€œDo you ever wonder why?” Maggie asked suddenly. “Why you were born on that side instead of this side? Was it a gift? A mere accident or roll of the cosmic dice? A test…or something else?”
    Bethany felt a strange uncomfortable sensation come over her, like she had been eating food in front of someone who was starving. The team’s silence spoke volumes, and she knew that they, like her, were searching their souls for answers to Maggie’s questions.
    Maggie walked around to face them, a gentle smile on her face. “Now that I’ve given you some tough stuff to think about, I feel I should take you for some genuine Tijuana tacos for dinner!”
    â€œYeah!” Dano called out from the back of the crowd. Kai elbowed him, and the team laughed a relieved kind of laugh.
    â€œAre they safe to eat?” Monica asked warily.
    â€œNo worries,” Maggie laughed. “Groups from our dormitory eat there all of the time.”
    â€œNo magic punch?” Dano asked innocently.
    â€œMagic punch?” Maggie and Sarah asked at the same time.
    â€œYeah,” Dano grinned. “You drink it and then disappear into the bathrooms—like magic!”
    Everyone groaned.
    â€œYou’re so gross,” Malia laughed.
    â€œBut entertaining,” Kai added with a grin.
    Miguel pulled the taxi up to the taco stand. The taco stand was crowded with the kids from the two vans. Many were filthy and covered with paint, mud, and cement. A number were talking excitedly about their day.
    â€œYou should have seen Matt try to pound a board in place!” One of the guys laughed. “He got one hit for every five swings of the hammer…until finally they put him on paint duty!”
    â€œI didn’t bring my glasses,” Matt pleaded to no avail as his friends continued to laugh.
    Behind the counter, several workers cooked strips of beef on a charcoal barbecue. They chopped the cooked beef with lightning speed into small morsels that were scooped into a taco shell loaded with guacamole, onions, and a dash of make-you-sweat hot sauce.
    The small tacos were cheap and delicious. Some of the guys had already plowed through half a dozen and were aiming at making it a full dozen. “Bethany! You have got to try one of these—they’re awesome!” Holly exclaimed before she took another huge bite of her taco.
    â€œHow do I do this?” Bethany asked Maggie.
    â€œYou order however many tacos you want as well as a soft drink or water, and enjoy—you don’t pay until you are finished.”
    â€œAren’t they afraid that someone in a group this large will rip them off?”
    â€œNo, they know that this group is with us at the dorm,” Maggie smiled. “They trust the word of Christians.”
    â€œWow, that’s cool!”
    â€œThat’s how it should be,” Maggie shrugged.
    â€œOur word should be worth