Saphronia awoke with a start that made her twin sister groan with acute frustration. Her thick long hair matted against her cheeks, neck and shoulders but she sat up perfectly still, listening.

“Did y’hear that, Mina?” she whispered after what seemed like a whole Sunday service worth of time.

“Shut yer whining!”

“Someone’s hittin’ awful hard on something!”, she hissed into Willimina’s ear and with that, barely had enough time to duck under the arm that came flailing toward her face. “I said shut yer whinin’! There ain’t no marauders anywhere, alright. Nuthin’ but The Tennessee out there.”

Saphronia winced at her sister’s reference to her long time fear of raiders, marauders and other bed time story villians.

“I ain’t scared of no marauders.” Saphronia felt defeated by her soft unconvincing tone and swallowed deeply as if washing down her anxiety.

If only Pa were here, she worried. But, in actual fact, he had taught her well. If the marauders did come, she’d know what to do.