The little girl shivered, wondering where her mommy was and why her daddy wasn't moving.  Her black hair hung in her face and she whimpered softly.  There were monsters, real monsters, not pretend like her babysitters had always promised.  The monsters she saw were real, and they were coming for her.  She gulped and made herself as small as possible.  Where was Mommy?

            The monster loomed near her, touching her black hair reverently with something that couldn't by any stretch of the imagination be called a hand.  Hopie cried, and a tongue came out of one of the monster's many mouths and licked the tear off her face.  Suddenly, she heard fighting, and closed her eyes tight, wishing to wake up in her own bed.  When she opened her eyes she saw a face that didn't look all grrrrr. 

            He was a boy, almost a man, but all she saw was humanity.  "Are you all right?"  he asked.  Sobbing, she held her arms out for him to pick her up.  He didn't move.

            "Connor," a voice that had to belong to a beautiful woman just because it was filled with that look-at-me-I'm-beautiful sound said.  "The poor thing is scared to death.  Pick her up."  Connor stared at Cordelia with a look that said "you have got to be kidding me crazy talker."  He awkwardly picked up the child.

            "She's a little girl not a spear," the woman chastened, "hold her with both hands."  The not-spear in question whimpered, burying her head in Connor's clothes and taking in his fight smell.  She felt safe, and fell asleep answering only one question.

            "What's your name, sweetie?" Cordelia asked the tired four year old, shielding her eyes from seeing the remains of her parents. 

            "Hopie," the little girl mumbled.  "They said I was their only hope."  And then she fell asleep.