AARON Sean turned and stood on the seat. He pulled at the latches, trying to release them. I sat between the chairs. My eyelids felt heavy. The desire to lean against a seat and sleep was strong. I looked up at the roof of the car. I spoke quietly to myself. “He doesn’t deserve this. He doesn’t deserve to lose us. Please save him.” The only sound was Lucas fumbling with the latches. I dropped my head. I knew I was next. I knew my son would be alone. My fists curled into balls. My nails bit into my palms. My mouth opened in a wordless scream. My fists hammered against the air. Why was this happening? Why did my little boy have to face what came next? He was innocent. He was sweet. What kind of God or universe would make a boy like Lucas watch his parents die? What kind of world would force him to survive in this new hell? I had prayed my entire life. I was a good Mormon. I was devout in my dedication to my family and my lord. What was the point if God wasn’t there when I needed him? My Bishops and Counselors would say it was all part of God’s plan. They would say the goal was eternal paradise. They would say these trials were temporary. God gave challenges to prove we were worthy of the afterlife. But what lesson could Lucas need to learn? Why did he have to face this now? I shook my head. If God wouldn’t save my boy, I would do what I could while I still had strength. I slid forward and grabbed Lucas’s tablet from the floor. I turned to the main console. I synched the maps of the car and the tablet. The car would only get him so far. He would need a map to walk the rest of the way to his grandparents. The tablet battery was full. I checked the signal strength. I hoped I could contact my in-laws. There was no signal. Lucas would be on his own. The back seat unlocked. Lucas stepped off. His short arms held the top of the seat to pull it free. He turned and looked at me. A smile was on his face. He was proud of his accomplishment. I pushed out a smile when all I wanted was to cry. I pulled my son in. I gave him another kiss on the head. “I’m so proud of you.” I pointed to the case of water bottles. “Go get ‘em, buddy.” “Does Mommy want one?” My chest tightened so much I couldn’t breathe. I managed a weak wave before I could speak. “Sure, but after she wakes up, okay?” He nodded. He plunged into the rear storage, and tried to pull out the water bottles. He settled for ripping the plastic, pulling one bottle free. He took a long drink. He looked back into the trunk. “I’m hungry.” “What would you like to eat?” His light brown hair swished as he looked between me and the cargo area. I could see the little man’s wheels turning. “Can I have a bag of chocolate covered raisins?” His question was shy. He knew he would normally be told no. Such a meal would ruin his appetite. But I mustered a false smile and nodded. “Go for it.”His face lit up. He plunged into the back again. I followed. I grabbed the tent. It was still in its packaging. It felt dozens of times heavier than it was. I barely managed to slide it free. I moved it past my son as he looked for his snack. I fell backward. The tent flopped into my lap. I looked back at Elena. I quickly looked away. Tears formed in the corners of my eyes. “Lucas, you stay here and eat your snack. I’m going to set up the tent so your mommy can take a real nap, okay?” “Okay!” His voice was muffled by the packages in the trunk. I opened the door. It slid upward after I pulled the handle. A beautiful green field spread before us. A few small buildings were nearby. Headstones dotted the grass. We had parked in front of a cemetery.A laugh bubbled up from my chest. Manic spasms ripped free from my mouth. The tears came again. I pushed the tent to the ground. I put a leg out to follow it. My muscles gave way under my weight. I fell into the wet soil. I lay there for a moment. The mud cooled my face. The moisture seeped into my clothes. I pushed myself to a knee. I stared out at the field. I grabbed the handle of the tent package. I hoped to drag it further from the car and the roadside. I only managed a few feet. Every fiber of muscle I had begged for relief. My lungs burned with pain. I fell to my knees. I pulled the tent from its material. Slowly, far slower than I had set up a tent in years, I rolled it out. I secured the base. I was grateful the soil was soft. Each weak blow of the included mallet was a struggle. The tent collapsed more than once.Finally I managed to erect the support poles. The dome came up. “Daddy?” “What buddy?” “Can I play Monroe the Mighty Monkey?” Lucas asked from his seat in the back. I could hear him smacking away on his chocolate snacks with the door open. “Sure.” “I love you, Daddy!” “Love you too, buddy.”