Soon the sky begins to darken, and quickly a dust storm blasts the cabin. All inside are covered with dust, and when Esperanza's mother gets home she is beginning to cough from being outside with so much wind and dust in the air. Everyone finally gets back to the cabin all right, but exhausted and very dirty. Esperanza asks about the strike that was planned for that day. Alfonso tells her that there was no strike because of the storm. And now the cotton plants are all ruined so there is no work for those who pick cotton anyway. Esperanza and the others are glad to hear that the storm did not affect the grapes, and that they will return to the fields tomorrow to continue harvesting them.