"Oh, Bonnie! I missed you so much!" Scarlett rushed to the little girl and gathered her into her arms, crushing the crinoline of her dress. Bonnie's arms came up and encircled her neck. How she'd missed her daughter's fresh, sweet aroma!

"Where's Daddy?" asked Bonnie.

"He went away for a little while, but he'll be back soon." She glanced at the blue uniform and skeleton lying on the floor. Bonnie had been so ravenous she'd ripped the buttons off the coat.

"I want to go outside and play!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Well...I suppose that would be all right, as long as you wear this sunbonnet."

"I never had to wear a sunbonnet before!"

"Well, things are different now, as you know. We can't take a chance on the wrong person seeing you."

Bonnie sighed. "All right."Scarlett watched as she skipped happily outside. It's going to be just like it was before, she told herself. Just look at her, beautiful and sweet as ever! As soon as Rhett lays eyes on her, he'll fall in love with her again and have to stay! We'll be a family again - I just know it!

Lunchtime arrived, and Scarlett made sandwiches for herself and her daughter, then called Bonnie in. The little girl looked at the sandwich with disdain, then wrinkled her nose.

"What's the matter? You used to love corned beef!"

"You can have mine."

Bonnie refused to eat dinner as well, but she did consent to changing into a nightgown and getting ready for bed. As Scarlett tucked her in, she reflected on how she'd taken such joys for granted in the past and swore that she never would again.

"Goodnight, sweet Bonnie," she said as she kissed the warm, soft forehead.

"Goodnight, Mommy."

"I love you, precious girl."

"I love you too, Mommy."

Before blowing out the candle, Scarlett collected the aforementioned items from the floor, grabbed her lantern and shovel, then took them out to the back yard and buried them.

For several days, Scarlett spent almost all her time watching her daughter at play, but one morning, she realized she'd have to go to the general store and was faced with a dilemma. What would she do with Bonnie? She couldn't just leave her playing in the back yard - could she?

At last she had an idea.

"All your dolls are sick today, Bonnie," she told the little girl. "They need for you to stay home and take care of them until they get better. I have to go somewhere, but I'll be back in just a few minutes."

"All right, Mommy."

Scarlett made sure the door was locked, then walked to the store. "Why, hello there, Scarlett!" exclaimed Honey Wilkes. "I haven't seen you in awhile! How's Rhett?"

"He's fine, just fine." Scarlett picked up a basket and began to collect her purchases. She found a bag of horehound candy sticks and remembered how much Bonnie used to love them. At the same time, she couldn't help overhearing a conversation between Mrs. Dolly Merriweather and Mrs. Meade.

"Just disappeared right out of the blue!" Mrs. Merriweather exclaimed. "Not that anyone around here would consider a Yankee soldier to be much of a loss - I certainly don't - but it was just so strange!"

"And the last anyone saw of him, he was near the Butler place?"

"So I heard, whatever that has to do with anything."

Suddenly eager to return home, Scarlett waited impatiently for the cashier to ring up her purchases. She returned home to find Bonnie busily looking after her dolls, as if they were alive.

"Look what I brought you!" Scarlett held up the bag of candy. Bonnie gave it a brief glance, then returned to her dolls.

Disappointed and a bit worried, Scarlett put the candy and her other purchases away, then went about her daily business.

Things were fine for awhile, but then at about two o'clock one night, Scarlett was awakened by her daughter's screaming. Thinking Bonnie must be having a nightmare, she raced to her room to comfort her, only to find her sitting up in bed with a strange look in her eyes, one Scarlett had never seen before but which chilled her to the bottom of her soul.

"I'm hungry, Mommy!" Bonnie wailed.

Scarlett remembered Louis Vendredi's words and rushed to hold her daughter. "Sh, it's all right, sweetheart. I'll get you what you need."

"Please hurry, Mommy!" Scarlett saw that Bonnie's skin was beginning to crack, and her head was slumped over at a strange angle. Panic sent her running out of the house and into the street. However would she find what she needed at this hour of the night? she asked herself.

As if in answer to her question, she saw a drunk staggering along the road, so sotted he could barely stand. She glanced around and spied a large rock by the side of the road. Not allowing herself to think about what she was doing, she snatched the rock up and began hitting the drunk over the head with abandon, not stopping until his head was a bloody mess. Then she grabbed his feet and began to pull him toward the house, praying that she wasn't too late.