“Ember!” young Dante said again, louder this time. A lump rose to my throat as I watched him, solemn even at six years old. His red hair was shaggy and hung in his eyes as he stepped forward. “Come on, sis. Don’t poke it, you’ll make it mad. Let’s go back.”

The little girl with the red ponytail ignored him. Crouched on the balls of her feet, her attention was riveted on what lay before her. A fat brown snake with vivid diamond markings down its back sat tightly coiled in the sand, head pulled into an S while its tail rattled threateningly.

My stomach tightened. Curious and unafraid, tiny Ember ignored her brother’s repeated warnings and prodded the serpent with a twig. The snake reared back, its warning rattle growing louder, faster, but the girl didn’t back off.

“Ember!” Dante said, and bent down, grabbing her by her shoulders. At the same time, the snake lunged, a blinding streak of tan across the desert floor. Dante cried out, falling to his side, and tiny Ember gasped.

“Dante!” she cried, instantly forgetting about the snake, which slithered off and vanished under a bush. Dante lay on his side, cradling his arm and making soft whimpering sounds. I knew he was trying not to cry out, to be brave so that his little sister wouldn’t be afraid. Blood oozed from two rather large puncture marks in his skin, and the lump in my throat grew even bigger. I hadn’t realized how much the bite had hurt him until now.

“Dante,” tiny Ember said again, her eyes huge and frightened now. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for it to bite you.”

“It’s...okay,” Dante panted. “It doesn’t hurt that much, Ember, really.” He was lying; it was easy to see he was in horrible pain, but the younger version of me relaxed. She believed her twin so easily, and it made my throat tighten.

“Besides,” Dante went on, attempting a smile, “I’d rather the snake bit me and not you. That’s what brothers are for, twin brothers especially.”

I bit my lip, my eyes prickling at the corners as tiny Ember sniffed and scrubbed a dirty hand across her eyes.

“Stupid,” she remarked. “Now I have to tell Mr. Gordon that a snake bit you, and he’s going to blame me as usual.”

Dante winced. “You can tell him...that I was poking the snake if you want,” he said, his voice tight with pain. “Or that we were wandering around outside and I tripped over it.” But Ember shook her head.