Caleb relaxed and pranced around my legs. I dismantled the fencing from the old pasture and rolled it up. Muncie helped.

“Let’s check the barbed fences for wool,” she said when we’d finished.

I scooped some fresh salt out of the big container and poured it inside the feeder in the new pasture, checking once more that all was well.

“Okay,” I said. “You want to gather wool? We’ll gather wool. Let’s go.”

We climbed up and down the rolling hills of Gran’s land, Muncie’s head bobbing along at my elbow. Combing the fences, moving from pasture to pasture, we searched for pulled wool. Every time she discovered some, Muncie’d yell. She’d lift her hand to show me her find before shoving the bit of wool into her basket.

By the time we headed for home, our stomachs were rumbling. Lights winked and sparkled across the valley. Up at the farmhouse, I could see Gran moving in the kitchen.

Through the woods, a light from Ripley’s trailer shifted between branches. And up at the top of the hill, set back in the trees, a glimpse of twinkling from Muncie’s house.

Muncie had finally gathered enough wool to fill her basket. I mashed the itchy white snags down so she wouldn’t lose any on the way home. “You wash this tonight and let it dry. I’ll come this weekend and help you card and spin it.”

Before heading in, I fed the sheep in the barn and reconnected the electric fence. Hoisting my backpack up onto my shoulder, I passed the closed curtain of Ezra’s room. I felt an unexpected tug.

Dragging an armload of wood over to the house, I stomped the dirt off my boots before coming into the kitchen. Gran stood at the sink, washing dishes. Half a loaf of fresh bread sat on the table.

“You’re out late. Sheep give you any trouble?” Gran asked.

“No,” I answered. “I just felt like staying out.” I dropped the dry wood into the keeping box.

“You know Mrs. Trent won’t leave that room unless you’re down there with Ezra,” Gran said. “She’s been waiting her supper till you came.”

I shoved my raw hands into my jean pockets.

“Come eat,” Gran said. “You must be starved. You can take your homework and do it in Ezra’s room right after.”

“I can’t do my homework in there.” I could hardly think straight in that room. “Gran—he doesn’t even know I’m there. I could skip one night.”

“No you can’t.”

“Why are you making me do this?” I asked. “I don’t want to do this.”

Gran leaned back against the sink. “You’re doing it because it’s right, Nyle. Times like this we’ve got to do what’s right. Look out for each other. Take care of each other. You understand?”

I shrugged.

“Eat your soup, Nyle.”

What else could I do? I dipped my spoon inside the soup bowl, and I ate.

Ezra hadn’t moved or spoken for almost a week. For almost a week the person inside Ezra’s body wandered further and further from life.