look tarwater said suddenly sitting forward his face close to the windshield we re headed in the wrong direction we re going back where we came from there s the fire again the fire we left ahead of them in the sky was a faint glow steady and not made from lightning that s the same fire we came from the boy said in a high voice boy you must be nuts the sailsman said that s the city we re coming to that s the glow from the city lights 