The carts pulled on for the rest of the day while they crawled up and down the sloping road along the river. Tom was entranced by the grass blades rippled like ocean waves in the wind. Short sunflowers dotted the landscape and even small shrubs started growing. Blackberry bushes with prickly vines and pointed leaves sprouted up everywhere around them.

The sun sank over the mountains, casting its dazzling sunset yet again, but this time the clouds looked heavy and dark. They ...