The very next morning, Axel woke up early and had breakfast. She put on her best hiking outfit, and she was ready to go out on a hike.

"Well, Toto, hopefully everything will be fine without Ruby trying to embarrass me," Axel declared. Suddenly, there was a knock on her bedroom door. "Enter."

Fiona entered and said, "Good, you're ready. Eric is here to take you on a hike."

"Thanks, Fiona," Axel smiled. "Let's go, Toto." She went downstairs with Toto at her feet.

"There you are," Eric smiled. "Axel, this is my big brother, Charlie."

"Great to meet you," Axel smiled, shaking Charlie's hand.

"You, too," Charlie smiled. "This is our dad."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Nelson," Axel smiled shaking Mr. Nelson's hand.

"Good to meet you, dear," Mr. Nelson smiled. "Ready for a hike?"

"As I'll ever be," Axel smiled.

Axel left with Eric, Charlie, and their father on a hike.

On the hike, Axel enjoyed the beautiful plains, especially with the rising sun. She just had to draw pictures of this in her journal. She had never seen anything like this before.

"Wow, this is beautiful," Axel gaped. "I've never seen the sunrise this breathtaking before. This is so much better than sleeping in."

"I'm glad you like it, dear," Mr. Nelson smiled. "This is why we enjoy doing this every morning."

But then something bad caught Eric's eye. "Uh, Dad, I think we'd better wrap it up—it looks like a storm is rolling in," he gulped.

The clouds were turning dark, and it was starting to get windy. Every Nebraskan knew what that meant: a tornado! Axel was traumatized, thinking about how a tornado claimed her mother's life. Staring at the sky, her mouth hung open in horror.

"Axel, wake up—you have to run for it!" Eric told her.

"That's right," Axel declared, snapping out of it. "Come on, Toto!" She started to run for home with Toto at her feet. "See you later, Eric, and thanks a lot!"

"We'd better run for it, too, boys," Mr. Nelson told his sons. "Let's get a move on!"

"Poor Axel—I hope she gets home all right," Charlie frowned.

Meanwhile, back at the farm, the twister had already formed, and Axel's family was busy trying to get the animals in their shelter.

"Caleb, lock the stables!" Fiona instructed.

"It's a twister! It's a twister!" Ruby cried.

Brandon knew his daughter was out with Eric and his family, but he wondered if she was on her way. "Axel! Axel!" he called.

Axel was on her way home with Toto following her, but there was no way they were going to make it in time. She picked her dog and carried him under her arm.

"Everyone in the storm cellar!" Fiona instructed.

"But what about Axel?" Caleb asked.

"Let's hope she's still with Eric," Brandon declared.

Everyone got inside the storm cellar, and the doors were locked. Axel made it to the farm house and went inside to look for her family.

"Daddy! Daddy! Are you in here?" Axel called.

Axel went outside, and the wind was even stronger. She tried to open the cellar, but the doors were locked. She kicked the doors, but there was no way anybody could hear her. Axel and Toto were all alone and unprotected from the powerful storm, and she went inside to take refuge. But the minute Axel was inside, the wind blew open the windows, and a frame came loose and hit Axel in the head.

"Ouch!" Axel cried. She collapsed onto the floor and passed out.