The two-year-long drought in Kiewarra is omnipresent throughout the story. It has taken a significant toll on the land physically, destroying the local economy, but also the mental states of Kiewarra's residents. The dire conditions of this farming town simultaneously create a sense of solidarity for those willing to endure them, while also exacerbating interpersonal tensions.

The farmers do not resent the land; instead of cursing it and eagerly leaving it behind, they continuously remind each other that “the dry” will break, holding out hope for a change in weather (1). Though some have sold their farms and moved to parts of the country with more rain, farmers like Gretchen cannot bring themselves to leave, because “it's in the blood” (12)—they have an inextricable connection to Kiewarra that they are not willing to cut. While it is tough, and even though some relationships in town are far from amicable, Gretchen explains that they are “all in it together” (125).

The overwhelming impression of the drought, though, is one of tension and desperation. The heat is characterized as unbearable and mentioned often—it is inescapable in Kiewarra. The farmers are already at “the end of their tether” due to their failing farms, but Gretchen is sure that “the heat makes everything worse,” including everyone's

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