The crew spent the entire morning clearing out the mud. By the time they were ready to cook lunch, the sky, which had been clear all morning, suddenly darkened.
In less than three minutes, thick storm clouds rolled in, and an even heavier downpour than the day before came crashing down.
The squad leader cursed under his breath. If this kept up, all their morning's work would be for nothing.
Without hesitation, he assigned a few men to build a waterproof barrier around the well to keep more mud and rainwater from spilling in. They also threw up a plastic tarp over the opening as a makeshift shelter.
Once everything was secured, everyone returned to the courtyard—everyone except Old Man Carter and his kids.
The three of them remained huddled in the donkey stable, chewing on stale rations.
