Mina woke screaming, and the hands on her shoulders did nothing to soothe her fear. It wasn’t until she recognized Kelly’s voice that she was able to relax enough to stop screaming. The tension slowly left her, and she dropped heavily against the pillows. She greedily gulped the water her sister offered, but shook her head at the suggestion that she eat something.
“My poor baby sister.” Kelly’s blue eyes, so similar to Mina’s, welled with tears as she grasped her hand. “I can’t believe this is happening. I mean, I expected violence, rape, and looting, but not on our farm.”
Mina didn’t know whether to comfort her sister or just close her eyes and feign sleep. Kelly was intelligent, but sometimes clueless, and wouldn’t realize now was a time to soothe her sister, not express her own fears and sorrows.
“I was so scared going to the barn to tend the horses tonight, even though Sergeant Platt—Owen—walked me there and back. It’s just terrifying to know we aren’t safe here.”
Mina closed her eyes so she wouldn’t roll them. “Did someone feed the chickens tonight?”
“Yeah, that cute Cooper guy volunteered to take care of them.”
She managed a small smile, which made her split lip sting. “That was sweet.”
Kelly returned to prattling about how scared everyone was now, and how she was thinking everyone should never go anywhere alone. Mina closed her eyes and managed to fall asleep again.