Scene 11 / PDF page 12
Exhausted from quarreling

At a desert waterhole, the family makes camp as evening settles over the open country. The wagon stands nearby, but the mule rests uneasily, showing severe signs of lameness. Elliot and Ethan remain alert and curious by the fire, while Sam and Em sit in the heavier silence of adults who understand what a lame mule means for their survival.