CHAPTER 16Diana parked her Ford Edge SUV alongside the road leading into the dense swamp about a hundred feet beyond the cinder-block pumping station, tucked under a large tree that looked like a weeping willow with purplish pine needles for leaves. Sam ducked when one of its limbs swayed toward his head as he stood glaring into the back of the vehicle’s hatchback, stuffed with camping equipment, backpacks and supplies.
“We aren’t seriously considering carrying all this stuff for twenty-five miles through the swamp, are we?” he asked.
“It won’t carry itself, and we need food, water and shelter for the next three days,” Diana said. “Unless, of course, you want to sleep in the open, forage for food and drink swamp water.”
He glanced at his sister. “Wouldn’t we make better time if you just
