Wounded by the recent death of her husband, Dr. Belinda Simpson (Sarah Jones) arrives in the tiny town of Sikeston to take up the post of town physician. Once there, she discovers that many of the town’s residents, including children at an orphanage run by Miss Hattie Clarence (Cloris Leachman), have fallen ill to or died from an unknown ailment. Soon, Belinda begins to worry that she is in over her head, despite reassurances from her best friend, Annie (Haylie Duff), and the town's blacksmith, Lee (Jordan Bridges).

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