The Children of Fear Page 4

  “Send her out here!” another voice shouted.

  “No!” Luke yelled back. “Never!”

  “All right, then,” Thomas Wade called out. “We gave you a chance, Luke Fier.”

  Torches suddenly flared to life. Holding the torches high, the riders began galloping around the house.

  “If the Fiers won’t leave the house, they’ll be burned alive!”

  Chapter

  5

  “No!” Luke yelled as he watched a man throw a torch toward the house.

  It landed on the eaves of the porch. Flames danced up in front of Luke’s window.

  Leah screamed.

  “Hurry! We have to get out of the house!” Luke shouted as he shoved Leah away from the window.

  He lifted Corey into his arms and followed Leah into the hallway. Glass shattered as the riders thrust torches through the windows. In the distance, gunshots sounded.

  Smoke billowed up the staircase. Leah faltered. Luke pushed her. “Go, Leah! There’s no other way!”

  Leah staggered down the stairs, Luke close on her heels. Once when she stumbled, he grabbed her arm. Corey’s arms tightened around Luke’s neck.

  Luke gasped for air. Burning smoke filled his lungs and burned his eyes. He coughed and staggered down the steps through the black clouds. He felt his lungs about to burst. He tried to loosen Corey’s grip, but Corey held firm. The little boy pressed his head to Luke’s shoulder as he coughed and choked on the smoke.

  We’re going to die, Luke thought. We’re all going to die. I can’t let that happen. I promised I’d take care of them. We have to make it through this.

  They reached the first floor. Flames writhed and twisted, clawing the walls. His temples pounding, Luke felt the heat circling him.

  They had to get out. Now.

  He peered through the smoke. Where could they go? The walls of fire were everywhere.

  “The front!” Luke cried. “We can get out through the front room!”

  With the flames licking at their feet, they rushed down the hallway and into the front parlor. Flames leapt from the walls. Luke danced around them. Flames singed his face. Acrid smoke burned his eyes.

  I must get Leah and Corey out, he repeated over and over. I must get them out.

  Leah stopped running. She stared into a room engulfed in flames, burning as brightly as the noonday sun. Tears streamed down her face. “There’s no way out!”

  Luke’s heart thudded heavily in his chest. He glanced around. A curtain of flames blocked the room behind them. Smaller flames lapped at the front door. He heard the ceiling above creak ominously.

  Luke knew it wouldn’t take the flames long to devour the small house. Any minute it would topple like a house of cards, crushing them. Burning them to charred bits.

  Luke shifted Corey to his side. “Grab my shirt, Leah. We’re going through the door,” he shouted.

  He felt Leah grab hold of his shirt with both hands. He heard her sobbing uncontrollably. He grasped Corey and rushed toward the door, turned his shoulder, and slammed into the burning wood.

  It gave way.

  Luke stumbled into the night, Corey in his arms, Leah clinging to his back. Gasping and gagging, they staggered into the front yard. Luke set Corey down and turned to check on Leah.

  Only then did he realize the danger had not yet passed.

  On horses, the men circled Luke, Leah, and Corey.

  “You should have stayed inside! Death would have come quicker,” Earl Wade cried. “Now it’ll just come slowly.”

  “Cowards!” Luke yelled. “We’ve done nothing wrong. Leah is innocent!”

  The circle of riders grew ever smaller. Luke felt the horses’ hot breath on his face. The horses stood shoulder to shoulder, neck to neck. He could smell their sweat, the rancid odor of their harsh breath.

  No escape, Luke thought. These riders will make sure that the horses trample us if we try to crawl through.

  He felt something rough touch his cheek. He jerked his head up to see Earl Wade dangling a rawhide noose over his head.

  “We killed all your animals,” Earl said. “Now it’s time we hanged you! All of you!”

  Suddenly, a flaming piece of the roof fell to the ground.

  The horses reared up, their eyes rolling back as they screamed in terror.

  Luke grabbed Corey up in his arms. The horses whined in terror as they turned and stampeded into the darkness. Their riders clung to the saddles for dear life, some teetering to the side.

  Earl and Thomas Wade were the first to disappear, barely keeping control over the horses. In an instant, the rest followed.

  The yard stood suddenly empty, bathed in the glowing yellow light of the burning house.

  “Poor things.” Leah sighed. “Horses are so afraid of fire, you know.”

  “Yes, that’s true,” Luke replied quietly. He couldn’t quite believe that they were safe. Yet, it was true. Finally, luck had taken their side. For the moment at least.

  Luke turned and faced the burning farmhouse. Leah and Corey sidled up against him. He slipped his arms around their shoulders as they watched in silence.

  The fire bellowed. Crimson tongues licked at the roof, greedily devouring the house.

  “The men will be back. We’re not safe here,” Luke said wearily.

  And I don’t know what to do about it, he thought. I don’t know how I’m going to take care of Leah and Corey now. We have no supplies. No money. I don’t even have my rifle.

  “Where will we go?” Leah asked softly.

  Luke took a deep, weary breath. “Tonight we’ll find a place to hide in the woods. Tomorrow I will come up with a plan.”

  Corey latched on to Luke’s trousers. Luke glanced down at his brother. Black soot streaked his small, round face. His green eyes looked incredibly huge. His tiny shoulders slumped forward.

  “I’m tired too,” Luke said as he lifted Corey into his arms. “But we can’t stay here.”

  He headed toward the woods that bordered their property.

  “Leah, grab my shirt so we don’t get separated,” he ordered. He stepped into the forest. A thick canopy of leaves blocked the moonlight.

  Leah tripped and bumped into him. He staggered forward before catching his balance. Corey’s hold on him tightened.

  “I’m sorry,” Leah whispered. “I can’t see.”

  “It’s all right. Just walk slowly,” Luke told her.

  “Luke, it’s so dark here,” she said in a low, quivering voice.

  They heard the beating rush of an owl’s wings as it swooped out of the trees. The high-pitched squeal of a deer mouse quickly followed.

  Then a heavy silence.

  Luke stared intently into the darkness. It’s as though all the creatures are waiting to see who will be the next victim.

  He shifted Corey to his other arm. Luke took a step forward. Dry twigs snapped beneath his weight.

  Luke heard something scurry for cover.

  Another mouse, he thought. Or a chipmunk. Or a squirrel. Harmless. He tried to convince himself that all the sounds were harmless.

  “Come on,” he urged them in a hushed voice.

  The air around them grew cold and damp as they moved deeper and deeper into the woods. The thickness of the brush muffled their footsteps.

  Luke heard Leah’s short gasps and Corey’s even breathing … and something else. He thought he heard something else.

  He stopped.

  “What is it?” Leah asked.

  “Be quiet!” Luke ordered softly. “I thought I heard something.”

  “What?” Leah asked. “What did you hear?”

  “Everyone, hold your breath.”

  Luke listened hard. He heard nothing. He released his breath.

  “It’s all right. I must have heard myself breathing.”

  He heard Leah’s breath of relief rush out of her mouth. “Thank goodness!”

  “Follow me. I think I see a stopping place for us over here,” Luke said.
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  He led them to a place where shafts of moonlight filtered through the trees—not much, but enough so he could see a big, partially hollowed-out tree resting on its side.

  “This will make good shelter,” Luke said as he set Corey on the ground. Corey crawled inside.

  Then Leah crawled in after him. “It stinks in here,” she said.

  “It’s just the smell of rotted wood,” Luke said impatiently. “It won’t hurt you.”

  Hunching over, he worked his way into the tree. He had to bend his long legs until they hit his chest. Every muscle in his body ached.

  We can’t go back to the farm, he decided. I must find a way to keep Corey and Leah safe. Tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll come up with a plan.

  A breeze rustled the leaves overhead. It seemed to Luke that they were whispering secrets. The branches hit against one another.

  I should keep watch, Luke realized. But I’m tired. So tired. His eyelids grew heavy.

  Trying to get comfortable, he shifted his body slightly. He stared at the nearby trees cloaked in shadows.

  Two glowing yellow eyes stared back at him.

  Chapter

  6

  Luke swallowed back a scream of terror.

  Wolf? Bear? Mountain lion? The vicious possibilities raced through his mind. He had no gun. No protection.

  Maybe it doesn’t see me, he thought wildly. Maybe it doesn’t know we’re here.

  But then the eyes glowed brighter … and began to move … slowly through the shadows … slowly toward the hollowed-out log.

  Luke’s heart pounded in his chest. His mouth grew dry. He scooted back.

  “Ow!” Leah cried. “What are you doing?”

  “Be quiet!” Luke warned in a low voice. “I did hear something earlier. It’s out there … looking for us.”

  “Where?” she asked as she scrambled over his legs.

  Luke tried to grab her, but his fingers only skimmed over her skirt as she quickly crawled out of the log.

  “Leah, come back!” he whispered harshly.

  He remembered the shriek of the deer mouse as the owl had carried it into the night. What will this creature do to Leah? Nothing, he decided. I won’t let it hurt her.

  Struggling to unfold his body, he worked his way out of the log. He spotted Leah several feet away. Moonbeams filtered through the thick branches and cast a halo around her.

  The glowing eyes moved out of the shadows.

  Luke heard a low, deep growl. A wolf’s growl.

  The beast slinked out of the shadows into the moonlight. Luke shivered at the sight. Its long, powerful body moved closer.

  They wouldn’t have a chance to fight it off. Or outrun it.

  Luke gasped as he caught sight of the wolf’s head. A mangled rabbit dangled from its jaws.

  The silver beast crept slowly toward Leah, its head bowed low. Then it dropped the dead rabbit at Leah’s feet and lay down.

  Run, Leah! Run! A voice in Luke’s mind cried out.

  His heart nearly stopped as he watched Leah kneel down.

  Luke felt a scream well up in his throat. He struggled to choke it back.

  Mesmerized, he watched as Leah plowed her hands into the wolf’s thick fur and pressed her face into its neck.

  Luke breathed a sigh of relief.

  It was Leah’s wolf.

  Does Leah have power over animals as the townspeople believed? No, he told himself. The animals trust her because she is kind to them, but that is all. She has a gift. Like their father.

  He heard a shuffling sound and glanced down. Corey had crawled out of the log. His eyes wide, he stared at Leah and the wolf.

  “Don’t be afraid,” Luke said softly as he knelt beside his brother. “Father told me a story once about a man who broke his leg out in the wilderness. His dog hunted for him. The dog brought him meat until he was strong enough to find help.”

  Corey looked doubtful, and Luke explained further what he hoped was the truth.

  “The wolf must sense that Leah needs help now. She has always been kind to it. She found it when it was a pup. Its mother was dead. She kept it alive until it could live on its own. Now it is returning the favor.”

  Nodding, Corey rubbed his tired eyes. Luke pulled his brother back into the protective hollow tree. Corey snuggled against him.

  Luke stared at his sister … lying on the ground, curled up against the wolf … sleeping peacefully.

  It was the last thing he saw before he fell asleep.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Luke awoke with a start.

  He held his breath, listening.

  He squinted into the darkness. The wolf had disappeared. Leah slept soundly beside him inside the log.

  He squirmed, trying to get comfortable. He closed his eyes. But he could not go back to sleep.

  What will we do tomorrow? How can I take care of Leah and Corey? We have no money. No food. Only the clothes on our backs.

  Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will think of something. Tomorrow I must find a way for us to survive.

  He listened to the leaves whispering in the breeze, hoping the soft sound would lure him into sleep.

  A shrill whistle broke the night’s silence.

  Luke’s eyes flew open. What was that?

  The whistle came again. Louder. Longer.

  Luke scrambled out of the hollow log. He stood. His legs buckled beneath him. He stumbled to the ground. His legs had no feeling. Groaning, he rubbed his cramped calves.

  He heard the whistle again.

  It’s calling me, he thought. I must find out what is making that sound.

  He worked his way to his feet. He staggered through the woods until he came to a clearing that looked out over the valley.

  The clouds shifted away from the moon and cast a silver light over the train tracks.

  Breathing heavily, Luke watched the steaming locomotive roll over the tracks.

  A train! If only we had money left to buy tickets …

  He stared hard at the train. One of the boxcar doors was open. Are those children sitting in the doorway? he wondered. Children?

  Yes, they were children, he realized with excitement. That’s the orphan train!

  The orphan train that Earl Wade had mentioned. Luke had read about it in the newspaper as well. The train was headed west. At each town it stopped in, people had the chance to choose children to work for them. If they liked the children, they could adopt them.

  Luke felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He’d never planned to put Leah and Corey up for adoption. He’d always planned to take care of them himself. He would still care for them, but he would find a family to help him. In a town where people had never heard of the Fiers. Had never heard of Leah’s gift. Had never seen Leah feed a wolf and walk through town with a snake coiled around her shoulders.

  He decided the orphan train offered the perfect solution.

  With renewed energy, he turned and strode quickly back into the woods.

  The train will take us out of town. It will give us a chance to find a new home.

  It will carry us away from the fear.

  Chapter

  7

  The next morning, when Leah and Corey awoke, Luke explained his plans.

  “But you promised,” Leah answered angrily. “You said you wouldn’t put us on the orphan train.”

  “We have no choice,” Luke told her, his voice grim. “We can’t return to the farm. You need a home, and Corey needs parents.”

  “What about you?” Leah asked, her face red with anger.

  “I’m old enough to take care of myself,” Luke told her.

  “I can take care of myself too,” Leah insisted.

  Corey tightened his lips and bobbed his head up and down.

  “I promised I wouldn’t leave you or Corey, and I won’t. I’m too old to be adopted, but somehow we’ll stick together. Maybe a family who needs another hand on their farm will take us all in,” Luke added, forcing a hopeful note into his voice. “At least, the trai
n will give us food and shelter. And carry us away from Stormy Ridge.”

  Luke watched as Leah’s expression slowly turned from anger to a sad pout. But Luke felt relieved when she didn’t argue with him anymore.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  As the sun rose, brightening the sky, Luke lifted Leah and Corey into the empty boxcar. Then he climbed inside to join them.

  He glanced around. Straw and blankets littered the floor. Sunlight streamed in between the red slats of the boxcar.

  “Grab a blanket, Leah,” he ordered. “We’ll sit over here and wait.”

  He led them to a corner and dropped down. Corey plopped into his lap. Leah sat stiffly beside him.

  They’ll be happy, he told himself. I’ll find them a new home, with nice people.

  Luke heard the tread of many feet.

  Suddenly children climbed into the boxcar. Each wore a solemn look of defeat. Their mouths were turned down at the corners. Some had tears in their eyes.

  Luke noticed that each carried a small bundle which he guessed held their possessions.

  A rotund woman hoisted the smaller children into the boxcar. Her gray hair, pulled back in a tight bun, matched the hard expression on her grim face. Luke cringed at her cold, scolding voice as she lifted the last child onto the train.

  He watched as her black, beady eyes scanned the inside of the car. Would she notice them and put them out?

  “Behave! And be quiet!” she yelled. Luke held his breath as she gave the children one last angry look. Then he heard the boxcar door close with a clang.

  Leah snuggled closer to him. “Luke?”

  He circled her slim shoulders with a comforting arm. “We’ll be all right, Leah. Don’t worry.”

  Luke heard the train’s shrill whistle, then felt the boxcar lurch forward. Corey clutched Luke’s shirt, his tiny fingers pinching Luke’s skin.

  “Don’t be afraid,” Luke assured him in a low voice. “We’re going on an adventure.”

  Corey tilted his head back. Through the shadows, Luke spotted his brave smile and he ruffled Corey’s thick hair.

  Luke peered around their dim surroundings. Sunlight and shadows danced around the car as it rocked from side to side. Luke quickly counted over two dozen children in the car. Most looked thin with large, sad eyes. None smiled.