OCTOBER 20, 1861

Aisley woke to the sound of someone crying. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she sat up and looked around the room she shared with her twin sister, Tina, and her soon to be sister, Gabie.

She saw Tina sitting in the corner. She didn't know how to help her. Aisley nodded as she climbed out of bed and quietly left the room hoping Gabie would stay asleep.

Aisley made her way to Caly’s room. She slowly opened the door. “Caly,” she walked in and over to the bed.

Aisley slowly reached out and touched Caly's shoulder. “Caly wake up”

Caly rolled over and rubbed her eyes. “Aisley what's wrong?” She sat up.

“It's Tina. She's having a nightmare.” Aisley whispered.

“Okay,” Caly said as she got up and put her robe on. She took Aisley's hand and headed back to the girls’ room. As they entered the room, Caly spotted the young girl sitting in the corner. “Okay, I'll see to her. Go back to bed,” she helped the little eight year old girl into bed and tucked her in.

Then Caly went over and knelt by the frightened young girl. “Tina honey, it's okay come here.” She slowly reached out to the little girl.

Tina looked up at the older girl that was soon to be her sister. “They’re coming for us,” she whispered.

The brunette smiled. “Come here. I'll make sure they don't get any of you.” She picked up the little girl, stood and headed back to her room. Sitting Tina on her bed, Caly sat next to her. “Those men can't hurt you or the other girls now. I promise.” She hugged her.

Tina returned the hug and leaned against Caly. “Caly did your nightmares ever go away?”

Caly nodded as she wrapped a blanket around them both. “Mostly they did. I still have them sometimes, but having the love of my family and friends has helped a lot.”

Tina nodded. “Oh, I got a family now. So they will go away right?” She saw Caly nod.

“Right they will. Hey you know what? I don't know yours and Aisley's birthday or Gabie's.”

Tina smiled  “Oh yeah. Aisley's and mine is August twenty-first. I'm not sure when Gabie’s is. She might know.” She snuggled into her soon to be sister’s arms.

Caly sat with the younger girl for a while. She looked out the window wondering why men found it necessary to hurt woman or girls so bad. She looked down at the young girl in her arms and brushed some of the brown curls from her face. She moved till they both were lying down, and then after she made sure that they were covered, she soon fell asleep.