Mourning her husband's recent death, Dr. Belinda Simpson arrives in the tiny town of Sikeston to fill 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, have fallen ill or died from an unknown ailment. She soon wonders if she's in over her head, despite reassurances from her best friend Annie and Lee, the town blacksmith.