I sit at the table with my two younger sisters, across from a strange woman with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. Next to her is my foster mom, Cyndi. Something seems off about her, as if she is trying to hide how she feels. Seeing her like that makes my heart drop and my nerves begin to shake.

          "Hello girls." The woman starts talking, drawing my attention to her. "My name is Harriet."

          "Hi!" My two year old sister, Emilia, happily squeaks back.

           "...... Hi...... Harrit," my sister Tricia shyly responds while mispronouncing the lady's name. She scoots closer to me and squeezes my hand. In the six years she's been alive, Tricia has never been very good at meeting new people, which is funny giving the fact we are foster kids who never stay in the same home for more then a year. 

          I don't greet her and just look at the table. Cyndi clears her throat and nervously asks "Ella, aren't you going to say hi?"

          I look up and stare at the woman but still say nothing. I have been through this before and know what is coming. I don't like it so I am going to make things as difficult as I can. 

          Harriet awkwardly chuckles and begins to talk. "Did you know that you have other sisters and a brother? They have recently been put in a home together with a new family. Their new mom and dad want you three to come and live with them also. Would you like that? Do you want to live with the rest of your siblings?"

          I stare at the woman with wide eyes. I knew she was going to say we are going to a new family, but that wasn't what I expected. We have more family? And we could all live in the same home? My heart begins to beat fast and I start thinking of how nice it would be to to meet and live with them. Tricia starts excitedly bouncing while Emilia babbles incoherently.

          I glance at Cyndi. She looks sad at our reaction. Seeing the person I have began to view as a mom like that makes me want to cry.

          "So we are going to a new place again?" I swallow the lump that was forming in my throat. I should be use to this, but its too much for my seven year old self. "I don't want to move again. I like it here. I love mommy Cyndi. I want to stay with her."

          "Well this new family wants you guys to be with your family and they want to adopt you all. That means you will stay there forever. don't you want that?"

          "YES!" Tricia exclaims at the same time as I pound my fist on the table and scream "NO! I JUST SAID I WANT TO STAY HERE!"

          Tears roll down my cheeks as I jump up and run to my room. I slammed the door behind me and throw myself on the lower bunk bed, sobbing into the pillow. I know that me doing this won't change anything but I just couldn't stop myself. Maybe I was selfish for only thinking about what I want and not considering my sisters but I was finally happy.

           I like the life I have under Cyndi's care. I like her daughters; Megan, Crystal and Emily. I like living a block away from my best friend Kimi. I like my dog Hopper and hamster Whiskers. I like the school I go to and my teacher, Mrs. Rows.

           And now it was going to be snatched away.

                                                                      A WEEK LATER:

            The car slowly pulls up the long, uphill drive way. We are passing a fenced pasture that has three beautiful horses grazing on the grass around them and waving flies away with their tails. I stare at them in awe. I have never seen horses before and I can't believe my eyes.

             Harriet notices my expression and tries to have a conversation with me. "Do you like horses, Ella?"

             I ignore her and continue to look out the window. I have refused to talk to her since the day she visited us at Cyndi's and informed us we were being moved. I can't forgive her for ruining my happiness. 

              A house begins to come into view as we make our way further up the drive. It is a big double wide with light grey siding and dark green shutters. Flowers run along the edge of a walk way that leads up to a big porch with a swing and an American flag bellowing in the breeze.

             Standing on the porch are 3 young girls who look t be around my age, a boy of the same age range, a teenage girl holding a dark colored baby and a women holding another baby.

              As the car comes to a stop, the kids race towards it. The teenager and woman carefully made their way over so as not to drop the babies. Harriet gets out of the car and opens the doors. She gently wakes Tricia up and unbuckles her from her booster seat. Then she proceeds to get Emilia out and places her on the ground. she waddles over to one of the girls, hugs her and takes her hand. I stay where I am and stare daggers at the back of the seat in front of me. 

              "Come on Ella. We're here now You need to get out," Harriet says as she beckons to me. I cross my arms and refuse to budge.

               A girl with long red hair and green eyes similar to mine pokes her head in and squeals. "Ella! Its Ella! Joey! Kathy! Celine! Look! Its Ella!" She climbs into the car and hugs me tightly. She beams as she pulls away and asks, "Do you remember me? I'm your big sister Nora."

               I scoff and look out the window. She undoes my seatbelt and starts to pull me out of the car. "Come on! I want the others to see you!"

              I try to resist but I'm unsuccessful. For such a small girl she sure is strong. Reluctantly, i put my feet on the ground and stand in front of the strangers that surround me. Nora starts introducing them to me. 

              "That's Joey. He's 11. He is the oldest of us Duncan's" She points to the boy. He has light Brown Hair and the same green eyes that all of us seem to have. She then points to the girl next to him that has the same features as the boy. "That is Kathy. She is 10. One year older then me. I'm 9!"

               "I'm Celine. 8 years old." The girl with messy blonde hair and big rimmed glasses that don't fit her face, steps up and introduces herself before Nora has a chance to do it for her. She leans in and whispers, "you need to be careful of Kathy and Debbie. They are really mean. But you look like you can fight so I think you can take them." She steps back and grins at me. I roll my eyes.

              The teenage girl has a bored look on her face making it clear that she would rather be anywhere then here and doing anything else. "Debby," is all she says. Looking at her I can tell she isn't one of the Duncan kids. She shares no similarities to us, with her mousy brown hair and dark brown eyes. Her facial features are rugged and slightly masculine. 

               The woman carefully hands the baby in her arms to Harriet and crouches down in front of Tricia and me. "Hi sweethearts. Its very nice to meet you," she says to use as she reaches a hand out to each of us. I flinch away but Tricia grins when she pets her head. "My name is Carol but you can call me mom. I'm so happy to have you here." 

            I stare at my feet and say nothing. I won't accept her. I refuse. This place wont last long even with the promise of adoption. I have been in this situation before and was just disappointed. I was not going to let myself get my hopes up.  

          "Alright. Lets get your bags and take them in. We can talk more inside." Harriet hands the baby back to Carol and opens the trunk of her car. She pulls out a purple bag, handing it to Tricia, and then hands me a black one. After pulling out a third and finale bag, a light pink one, she slams the trunk shut and the group starts heading to the house.

          I stay planted where I am and watch as everyone strolls through the front door. Carol looks back at me and motions for me to follow. Slowly,  I walk to where she stands holding the door open. I take a deep, shaky breath and head inside where the others waited.

          I didn't know it, but I was walking into the beginning of a nightmare.