An earthquake has devastated much of the West Coast. In the midst of the destruction are thirteen-year-old empath Carson Bleeker and his nine-year-old sister, Caryl, a powerful telekinetic who hates him for his ability to control her. Fully aware of her feelings, Carson nevertheless accepts his responsibility for Caryl. After all, Carson has been responsible for Caryl since she was an infant neglected by their frightened, alcoholic mother and their frequently absent father.
Secretly deciding to take Caryl as far away as possible from Mother, Carson heads for the desert. Caryl, afraid of being alone, goes with him.
More than physical strength is demanded on on this journey. They are taken in by Rightway Community, a remote commune led by the omnipotent Pastor. Pastor believes Carson and Caryl were sent to Rightway by God, and he will not allow them to leave. If they refuse to accept The One Right Way, they will be cast into the desert to die. Caryl, ever spiteful, knowingly turns Carson over to a band of criminals, not realizing that he has maintained a barrier between her and Pastor. Now that he is gone, she is unprotected.
With the help of an old Welsh miner, Carson escapes from the criminals. He then has some tough decisions to make. Should he save Caryl or leave her to her certain fate at Rightway? And how can he hide from the Logran Organization, a research facility that seems to want him and Caryl at any cost? The emotional, spiritual, mental and physical aftershocks Carson and Caryl experience following the earthquake will change them both as they struggle to cope with their extraordinary talents in this story of commitment, courage, and survival.