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out.”
    â€œâ€Šâ€˜Work something out’?” Jake mocked. He couldn’tbelieve he was talking to his dad this way, but he was too angry to care. He thought Abe would be happy. Jake thought that Abe would want to get back to Mom straightaway.
    Abe bridled. “Jake, would you please listen to me? We can’t go get your mom now, even if she wanted us to. A snowstorm’s coming—I can feel it in the air, and from the way the animals are acting. We’ll get caught in it if we try to go anywhere now.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Jake shouted, picking up a stick and flinging it off into the darkness. “You have a sixth sense now? It’s not even snowing! Admit it. You’re scared. Scared to face Mom after you ran off and abandoned us!”
    There was silence for a long time.
    Abe jabbed the fire with a stick, sending up a flurry of sparks. He took a deep breath. “Look, boys, I love having you both out here with me. Leaving you all those years ago was selfish. I realize that now. But living in the wild with my family was always the big dream. When I first married your mom, it was our big dream.”
    â€œSo make it happen!” Taylor said. “We just need to go get her!”
    â€œWhat about what your mom wants. Have you thought about that?” Abe paused and ran his hands through his long hair. “Not long after Taylor was born, something happened that changed your mom’s big dream. . . .”
    â€œWhat, Dad?” Jake demanded.
    â€œTaylor got sick, and I went out to find some herbs to treat him with. Your mom wanted to take him to the doctor, but I knew it wasn’t that serious. I wanted to do things my way, nature’s way. And while I was out in the wasteland, I . . .” Abe coughed, embarrassed. “I disturbed a copperhead and got bit.”
    So that was where their dad’s strange scar had come from. “But you didn’t die,” Jake said.
    â€œNo, but I nearly did. Your mom called 911 when I didn’t come home. I woke up in the hospital. The moment I saw the look on her face, I knew.”
    â€œKnew what?” said Taylor, his voice thick.
    â€œThat for her the big dream was over.” Abe threw his stick into the fire. “Your mom loves you boys so much. No way was she going to take you away from hospitals, away from civilization. Even though she loves nature every bit as much as me, she loves you two even more.”
    Jake felt a lump in his throat and tears stinging in his eyes. But he was still furious. Abe’s stubborn refusal to compromise had torn their family apart once before, but Abe was still refusing to budge.
    Abe looked at the boys. “What did she say when you said you were coming to get her?”
    â€œShe said not to come,” Jake answered reluctantly. “To stay here with you. But—”
    â€œExactly,” Abe interrupted. “I don’t know who these guys harassing her are, but if they’re anything like Bullwas, they’re dangerous. Very dangerous. Your mom is smart. If she wants you to stay away, it must be for a very good reason, because I’m sure she’s desperate to see you. But more than anything else, she wants to keep you safe.”
    â€œWe’re smart too,” Jake insisted. “We can go get her and bring her back here without anyone knowing. Then we’ll ALL be safe.”
    Abe shook his head. “Don’t be naïve, Jake. You know I like to do things for myself, but sometimes the only smart thing to do is ask for help. We need to contact the authorities. They’ll arrest the guys threatening your mom, and keep her safe. Then she can decide what she wants to do. Either come out here and live with us, or take you boys back to Pennsylvania. I’ve tried the phone again, and the signal is still down, but it should be back up soon. And if it isn’t, after the snowstorm that’s heading