They started down the path again towards the meadow. In other times of the year the children took lessons in the meadow's lush grass, which was now covered by several feet of snow. Prudence took a step and sank up to her waist in a snowdrift. She called out for help; Samantha took her outstretched hand and yanked her out of the drift. They both rolled down the meadow, shooting up into the air at the base of the hill and landing headfirst in a snow bank.
Samantha pulled herself out of the snow, shaking it off like a wet dog. Prudence kicked her legs as she fought to get out until Samantha dug her out. "I'm sorry," Prudence said.
"Look at it this way, we got down here a lot faster." They laughed harder than necessary, tears freezing on their cheeks. Then they set out towards the barn to check on the livestock.
The storm four years ago had killed half of the cows, chickens, and sheep in Eternity, including the only bull. A few of the sheep and chickens had been replaced, but not enough. To supplement the loss of chicken, eggs, and mutton they'd eaten enough fish in the last four years for Samantha to worry she might sprout gills.
Inside the barn, Samantha found the cold had finished off the remaining animals. She knelt down to examine the still form of a chicken and frowned. They'd been dead too long for water of the Fountain of Youth to restore.
Prudence stood in the doorway of the barn, her face pale. "What do we do now?" she asked.
"Now we don't have a choice. Let's go round up David and Rebecca. We've got some planning to do."