Chapter 3, Pillar of the Community Summary and Analysis

Lottie stands looking across Spirit Lake. The ice on the lake has hairline cracks in it and Lottie wonders where spring is. She likes the serenity of sitting out by the lake, even if her family thought she was nuts. She turns to go back to the cabin, nestled in the Cascades. She'd designed it herself and she loves it. As she starts her way back, she feels tremors under her feet. She drops to her knees at the earthquake, but when it is over, nothing seems to have changed. Above her looms Mount St. Helens.

A week later, the mountain blasts steam from its top and sulfurous gases spew out at random times. Neighbors begin saying that the government is going to make everyone evacuate from Spirit Lake. Lottie decides that they...