Chapter 1

Crossroads mission school, Oklahoma

September 1856

Sister Agnes gently pushed open the heavy wooden door and peeked inside at the young girl sitting at the table. A warm smile touched her lips as she watched the young girl gobble down the stew she had been given.

"The poor thing," she mumbled to herself, shaking her head slightly. Earlier that morning, while she was out getting supplies in town, Sister Agnes had noticed the dirty little girl. She couldn't have been more than thirteen or fourteen years old.

Her first encounter with the young girl occurred outside the general store. Peering through the glass, the girl's large brown eyes fixated longingly on the freshly baked pies displayed in the window. However, her brief moment of yearning was met with the store owner's unsympathetic dismissal, as he swiftly shooed her away.

The owner explained to Sister Agnes that the girl had been lingering around the store recently, a unwelcomed presence. Sister Agnes thanked him kindly and patiently waited has he loaded the supplies into the wagon.

Driven by compassion and duty, Sister Agnes embarked on her search for the young girl. It didn't take long for her to locate her, nestled in an alleyway. The girl sat huddled, her knees drawn up to her chest, and her arms tightly wrapped around her legs. As Sister Agnes approached, she could hear the girl weeping softly.

It hadn't taken much to convince the girl to come with her. Hungry and desperate for a shred of safety, the young girl readily accepted Sister Agnes's offer. As the wagon tumbled along the desolate road the older woman tried her best to reassure the child, she was safe.

She couldn't shake the feeling that there were deeper layers to the girl's story. Though her clothes were filthy, too small and almost rags, she took notice of the once fine fabric and the tattered remains of lace. She managed to learn the girl's name and the heartbreaking fact that both her parents had passed away. Yet, it was evident that the girl wasn't revealing the whole truth. Despite her curiosity, Sister Agnes knew it wasn't the time to pry.

"Kaylie?"

"Yes Ma'am." Her luminous brown eyes looked up from her empty soup bowl.

"You can call me Sister Agnes, dear," she said, then motioned the petite girl in the doorway to come in. "Nicole, this is Kaylie. Will you show her around? Just make sure you two are back for supper."

Nicole nodded grabbed one of the small apples from the counter and took a bite before the older woman could object. She smiled sheepishly and grabbed the new girl by hand and led her into a large courtyard in the middle of the mission school.

"Where are you from? Did you live in town?" Nicole's bright blue eyes lit up.

"No, I'm from Georgia," Kaylie replied softly as she saw a group of children walk down the hallway and run into the field behind the mission. "Have you been here long?"

"Seven years," Nicole answered.

Kaylie's eyes opened wide in surprise. "How old are you?" She asked attentively.

"Fourteen."

"So am I." Kaylie smiled softly. Suddenly a blonde boy about half their age stuck out his tongue and ran off.

"That's Tommy," Nicole said, rolling her eyes. "Just ignore him."

Nicole went on, explaining the daily routine. Waking up at six, making their beds, then it was chores, and school. "That's the boys' dormitory there, we ain't allowed there. You'll get in lots of trouble if you go there," she warned, pulling Kaylie towards the other end of the hallway. "This is our room. You can sleep next to me," she added, patting the bed beside her own.

Kaylie looked around the room. It was a slightly larger than her bedroom in Georgia, with two rows of five beds. She walked down the center aisle, which was only a few inches wider than her small frame. The room smelled old but looked clean. Kaylie smoothed out the blanket and sat on the edge of the bed.

"How long have you been on your own?" Nicole asked.

"A few months." Kaylie replied, frowning as she touched the delicate lace trim at the bottom of her dress.

"Did they die?" Nicole inquired, referring to Kaylie's parents.

"Who?" Kaylie asked back.

"Your parents?"

Her father had died when she was six, and her mother had been sent to an asylum a few months after. Her grandmother told her that it was a family secret, and that she should never tell secrets.

Kaylie shuddered. Secrets weren't meant to be told. She headed the warning for years. Her uncle Conner said it was a secret. Their secret. Her grandmother died because Kaylie told the secret. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the thoughts out of her head when she heard Nicole's voice calling her name.

"Here's a dress, it's not as pretty as that one, but it's clean. I'll help you," Nicole said eagerly, starting to unbutton the back of Kaylie's dress. "This dress is so pretty."

"It's ruined now," Kaylie said, staring at the wall blankly as the girl helped her out of her dress. She loved that dress. She saw it in the window at the dressmaker's shop and she pleaded with her grandmother to get it for her. Though it didn't take too much pleading, Kaylie had always had an overabundance of toys, clothes, anything she asked for.

"Can I tried it on?" Nicole asked timidly.

As Kaylie stepped out of the blue fabric, the taffeta made a soft rustling noise. She closed her eyes and smiled slightly as she remembered the first time she tried it on. She had loved the swishing sound it made when she turned around, or when the wind blew. Those days were over. Kaylie looked up at Nicole, her new friend and smiled.

"You can have it, Nicole."

"Really?"

Kaylie nodded and smiled.

"Are you sure?" Nicole's eyes were wide in disbelief.

"It will look beautiful on you." Kaylie smiled and hugged the girl softly as a loud clanging noise rang through the corridor.

"Thank you! Come on!" Nicole folded the dress and hid it under her pillow. "I'll show you the chapel, then it's supper time. I know you ate when you got here, but I'm hungry." Nicole said, pulling her off the bed, none too gently.

Kaylie took note and tried to remember the layout of the mission as Nicole rattled on endlessly as they made their way to the chapel, then the school rooms.

"This is the dining room. After grace we can talk, but keep your voice down. Sister Agnes is nice, but Sister Mary a mean old hag." she added, pointing to the stern-looking sister in the back of the room.

They approached the larger room, just off the kitchen where Kaylie had eaten earlier. Quickly children filtered in and sat at the long tables. The two girls sat down and waited for the food to be blessed. Kaylie squirmed slightly when she realized that there were dozens of eyes staring at her. The uncomfortable silence was short-lived, as soon as the food was blessed, everyone began eating, paying no attention to her.

Even though she had eaten a couple hours prior, Kaylie was still hungry. It had been four days since her last meal, and the overcooked carrots and potatoes tasted wonderful to her. After dinner, the children were each given a couple slices of apple and dismissed to go to bed.

Nicole ran off ahead while Kaylie walked slowly down the long corridor to the dormitory. She stopped in the courtyard, at a large rose bush and touched the petals softly. The other children passed her; a few said hello, but most of them just walked by, paying no attention to her.

Several minutes later she felt a light tapping on her shoulder. Thinking it was probably one of the sisters, she turned around slowly, expecting to be scolded. To her surprise, a boy about her age and a few inches taller than her stood beside her, holding out his hand and smiling at her.

"Hi, I'm Kaylie." When she held out her hand to shake his, the boy dropped his apple slice in her hand and smiled. "For me?" She watched the boy nod. "Thank you. What's your name?"

The boy quickly raised his hand and made some gestures she didn't understand. She watched as he repeated himself but she shook her head sadly. "Can't you speak?" She asked softly, her voice full of concern.

"Eeew!" Nicole pushed the boy away from her new friend. "Don't touch him! Your hair will fall out and you'll be stupid like him!"

Ike stood up and brushed off his pants, feeling a twinge of disappointment. He had noticed the new girl as soon as she arrived and had hoped to befriend her, but Nicole had beaten him to it. His head hung as he watched the new girl follow Nicole toward the girls' dormitory.