The Children of Fear Read online

  Then he noticed four older boys swaggering toward him. He guessed they were about his age. They didn’t look as tall as he was, but did look heftier.

  He saw them approach a little girl, then spit in unison. Luke watched as she cowered and pulled her blanket over her head. Then Luke watched them do the same to a little boy. Crying, the child jumped up and ran to the far end of the car. Luke heard the larger boys laugh and jeer at him. He gritted his teeth in anger.

  Luke watched as the boys stopped a few feet in front of the three of them. They stood side by side and glared down at him. He glared back and quickly shifted Corey over to Leah. Then he stood and faced them.

  He saw the largest of the four step forward, squinting his eyes.

  “Who are you?” the boy demanded. Luke felt the boy’s thick finger poke into his chest as he spoke. “I never seen you before.”

  “Guess you just didn’t notice,” Luke lied, afraid they would be tossed off the train if the matron discovered them. “We’ve been here all along. We’re just quiet.”

  “That so?” the boy asked. “I’m Mike.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “These are my brothers. We’ve decided we’re going to escape. Do you want to come with us?”

  “No,” Luke answered. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Leah and Corey both shake their heads. Luke breathed a sigh of relief, afraid that the idea of escape might have appealed to them.

  “Sam, open the door,” Mike said.

  Luke watched as one of Mike’s brothers lumbered over to the door. The door creaked and groaned as Sam slid it back. Wind roared into the boxcar. Luke could see the trees and green fields flashing by as the train rumbled over the tracks, leaving the town they were just in far behind.

  “Sure you don’t want to come?” Mike asked.

  Luke snapped his attention back to the bigger boy. “I’m sure.”

  Mike narrowed his eyes and looked at Corey. “You want to come with us?”

  “He doesn’t want to go with you,” Luke told Mike.

  “Let him tell me that,” Mike said with a growl.

  “Corey doesn’t talk,” Leah said.

  Mike smiled wickedly. “That so? Why is that? Cat got your tongue? Let me see.”

  Corey tightened his lips and shook his head vigorously.

  “Come on,” Mike wheedled. “Let me see.”

  Luke saw Mike take a step toward his little brother and reach out to him. Luke jumped between them and shoved Mike back, pushing on his shoulder.

  “Leave him alone,” Luke demanded.

  Mike stumbled and then quickly stood up. “Don’t you tell me what to do,” Mike growled. “Nobody pushes me and gets away with it.”

  Luke raised his arms to block the punch. Too late. Mike’s fist pounded him in the stomach. Luke felt a white-hot bolt of pain and dropped to his knees.

  “Luke! Get up!” he heard Leah scream. “He’s going to get Corey!”

  Through a gray haze, Luke saw Mike grab Corey’s chin.

  “You want to go with us, don’t you, little guy?” Mike asked Corey, shaking him by the shoulders. “Hey, I asked you a question. Answer me!” he yelled. He shook Corey hard, jerking his head back and forth.

  Luke struggled to rise, pushing himself to his knees. He saw Mike push Corey toward the open door of the boxcar. The wind tugged at his brother’s ragged clothes and swirled through his dark hair.

  “If you don’t talk, I’m pushing you out,” Mike warned Corey.

  “Let him go!” Leah shrieked as she hit Mike’s arm.

  One of Mike’s brothers snatched Leah up, holding her close to his body. She kicked her legs uselessly in the air.

  Gasping for air, Luke stumbled to his feet. He threw his body toward Mike. “Leave him alone!”

  Mike’s brother Sam grabbed Luke’s arm and slammed him against the wall. Bright light exploded in Luke’s head. He forced himself to focus on Corey. Fighting the pain, he reached for Mike.

  Sam grabbed Luke, pinning his arms to his sides.

  “Talk!” Mike yelled at Corey as he pulled him closer to the open door. “Talk, or I’ll make you scream something awful!”

  Luke’s stomach lurched at the sight of Corey shaking his head vigorously, his green eyes wide with fear, his lower lip quivering.

  “Let him go!” Luke cried. He kicked and struggled, trying to break free of Sam’s grasp.

  Mike sneered. “All right. I’ll let him go.”

  He grabbed Corey around the waist and pulled him toward the open door. Luke’s heart twisted in his chest as he watched the little boy squirm to get free. Mike pulled him to the open door, then Luke saw him grab Corey by the ankles and turn him upside down.

  Luke struggled wildly against Sam’s hold. But the other boy held him tight. He felt his eyes burn with angry tears as he watched his brother dangle outside the door. The wind whipped Corey’s dark hair around his head.

  Leah’s desperate cries echoed all around him. But he couldn’t pull his gaze off Corey.

  “I’ll let him go,” Mike yelled over the din of the racing train.

  Luke snapped his gaze to Mike’s. Mike’s dark eyes glowed, his lips spread into an evil grin.

  “I’ll drop him,” Mike yelled over the roar of the racing train. “I swear I’ll drop him.”

  Chapter

  8

  “Luke—stop him! He’s going to kill Corey!”

  Leah’s terrified cry rang in Luke’s ears.

  “Now?” Mike screamed. “Shall I drop him now?”

  “No!” Luke yelled as he fought against the stranglehold Mike’s brother had on him.

  “Yes!” Mike answered, swinging Corey’s little body back and forth.

  “Corey, say something!” Luke pleaded. “That’s what he wants.”

  “Here he goes!” Mike cried.

  Luke heard a loud buzzing sound. Then Sam screamed in pain. “I got stung!” he yelled. He released his grip on Luke.

  Luke leapt toward the open door and caught Corey around the waist. He yanked his brother away from Mike and pulled him back into the car.

  Mike roared and launched himself at Luke. Then he yelped and jumped away. He pawed frantically at his chest and stomach. Bees flew at him from all directions.

  Mike’s brothers ran to help him.

  Leah rushed over to Luke. “Is Corey all right?”

  “I think so. I think he’s just mighty dizzy right now,” Luke replied breathlessly.

  “And terrified.” Leah bent down and cradled Corey in her arms. “Poor Corey,” she crooned.

  The door that led into the next car suddenly burst open. The matron rushed through it.

  “What is going on in here!” the matron demanded in a shrill voice. “Why is that door open?”

  “They tried to throw my brother out the car!” Luke told her, his voice shaking with anger. He pointed at Mike and his brothers.

  “They were trying to escape!” Mike said, pointing a finger at Luke and Leah. “They opened this door—and they let in all these huge bees!”

  “They’re bullies!” Leah yelled. “Bullies and liars!”

  All the kids began talking and yelling at once. The matron quickly pulled out a whistle and blew it long and hard.

  Luke covered his ears to block out the shrill screech. He saw the others cringe and do the same.

  The boxcar grew silent. The matron give a brisk nod of approval. “Now, then, what was going on in here?” she asked sharply, her tiny black eyes hard.

  “You!” Luke saw her plump finger point to Corey. “Tell me what these boys were doing.”

  Corey stepped back, his eyes wide. His chin quivered.

  Luke stepped forward. “He doesn’t—”

  “Hush!” the matron scolded. “I’m asking him, not you.”

  “But he doesn’t—”

  The woman turned on Luke, her black eyes filled with fury. Luke caught his breath. He’d never seen such anger.

  “Be quiet,” the matron said in a low voice,
“or I’ll leave you in the next town … whether or not you are adopted.”

  What would happen to Leah and Corey then? Luke wondered. What would happen if I weren’t with them? I promised them that we would stay together. No matter what.

  He nodded and stepped back. Leah slipped her hand into his. He gave her a quick smile, hoping she wouldn’t see how worried he was about Corey.

  Surely the matron will realize Corey doesn’t talk, Luke thought. Surely she’ll eventually ask someone else.

  The matron glared at Corey. “Now, then, little boy. Tell me what happened.”

  Luke watched as Corey backed away from the matron. She followed him, until he was trapped in a corner.

  The matron placed her chubby hands on her wide hips. “Don’t be willful! I won’t help you if you won’t ask me for help. Tell me what those boys were doing.” She wagged her finger in Corey’s face. “Tell me!”

  Luke watched helplessly as Corey pressed his lips together and shook his head.

  The matron wagged her finger faster. “Tell me!”

  Corey pinched up his face and squeezed his eyes shut as though he could make her go away if he couldn’t see her.

  The matron screamed and jumped back. Luke saw a black and yellow bee fly away from her face. The matron’s bottom lip started swelling. In moments it was three times its normal size.

  Luke heard Leah give a smothered laugh.

  The bee flew across the boxcar, buzzing wildly. It circled Leah’s head. Then it zipped out through the open door.

  “Close that door,” the matron demanded, her words running together as she spoke through swollen lips.

  “I told you they let in bees,” Mike whined as he pulled the door shut.

  The matron scurried out of the boxcar through the door that led into her private compartment.

  The moment she left, Luke could feel Mike’s eyes on him. Luke turned and met Mike’s hostile glare.

  “You and your brother and sister got away this time,” Mike said, his voice seething. “But it’s not over between us. I’ll find a way to get you off this train, even if I have to kill you to do it!”

  Chapter

  9

  Luke lay awake and stared at the boxcar ceiling. He glanced over at Leah. She slept soundly beside him. So did Corey. All around him, he heard the deep breathing of sleeping children.

  He rolled on his side. The straw pricked and itched his skin as the swaying train tossed him from side to side. The rumbling sound throbbed inside his head. His stomach churned from the smell of moldy blankets. He wondered how many children had slept in this boxcar, how many more would sleep here.

  Did they all find homes? What happened to those who didn’t?

  He pulled Corey’s blanket higher onto his shoulders. What am I going to do about you? he wondered. You used to talk. You used to laugh—when Ma and Papa were alive.

  You will laugh again, Luke vowed. Somehow I will make you laugh again. And talk again. But how?

  Luke rubbed his brow. His head still hurt from when Mike’s brother slammed him against the wall.

  Then he froze. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.

  Someone is watching me, he thought. He slowly scanned the boxcar. Mike?

  No, he could see Mike and his brothers lying in a heap on the other side of the boxcar, snoring.

  They sound worse than the locomotive’s engine, Luke thought. They’re asleep and so is everyone else. I’m just edgy after all that happened today.

  Then he spotted a girl curled up in the corner of the boxcar opposite him—as far away from the others as she could get.

  He had noticed her earlier in the day. She appeared to be about his age. She wore her golden hair woven into a single braid that draped over her shoulder. He remembered that her eyes were blue.

  And now he could feel her blue eyes watching him … as he watched her. He peered at her through the darkness and thought he saw a small smile on her face.

  Then she turned away, staring through the slats of the boxcar at the night sky.

  After his experience with the Wade brothers in town and Mike and his brothers on the train, Luke longed to talk to someone friendly. The girl looked as though she would be friendly.

  He crawled across the boxcar, taking care not to disturb the sleeping children. When he reached the other side, he sat beside the girl.

  “Hello,” he said quietly.

  He saw her duck her head. “Hello to you.”

  “I’m Luke.”

  He watched her lips form a shy smile. “My name is Mary.”

  She has a beautiful smile, he thought.

  “I can’t sleep,” he told her.

  “Me either.” She lifted her gaze to his. “I find that odd because the train sways back and forth like a giant rocking chair, so it seems like it should be easy to fall asleep here.”

  He nodded in agreement. “My sister and brother didn’t have any trouble letting the train rock them to sleep.”

  She touched his arm. “You were so brave this afternoon … defending your brother.”

  Luke felt himself blush. Quickly she removed her hand from his arm as though she were suddenly embarrassed as well.

  “I didn’t feel very brave,” he said, his voice low. He leaned nearer her. Mary smelled like the roses his mother had grown in her garden. “I was terrified,” he confessed.

  “I was terrified for you,” she said softly just before she ducked her head.

  Her words stunned Luke … and warmed him at the same time. She was worried about me, he realized in awe. I don’t think anyone has worried about me since my mother died.

  “I don’t know why Mike dislikes me so much,” Luke said, still unsure as to why Mike had singled him and Corey out that afternoon.

  “Mike doesn’t want any competition. Older boys are always adopted first—and you’re a little older than he is,” she explained. “That’s why he tried to convince you to run away at first. He wouldn’t have really gone himself. He just didn’t want anyone to be able to pick you over him and his brothers.”

  Luke shook his head. “Mike doesn’t have to worry about me. I just want to see that Leah and Corey are adopted.”

  “That might be hard,” Mary told him. “It’s difficult to find a family willing to adopt more than one child.”

  “I’m going to keep Corey and Leah together,” Luke vowed, more to himself than to Mary.

  “Do many children get adopted at each town?” Luke asked.

  “Sometimes the little ones are lucky. They’re still cute, and women like to hold them. It’s the middle children, especially the girls, that have a hard time finding a home. Girls my age have little luck.” She sighed.

  “They all look so sad,” Luke said, remembering their faces as they crawled into the boxcar.

  “It hurts to get your hopes up at each town, only to discover no one wants you,” she replied.

  “How can we make them want us?” Luke asked, determined to get Leah and Corey off the train as quickly as possible.

  Mary smiled. “Stand straight. Slick your hair down. Talk politely, and tell anyone who walks by that you love hard work.”

  Luke chuckled. “My hair might be a problem.” He ran his fingers through it. “I don’t remember the last time I cut it.”

  “It looks nice,” Mary replied quietly.

  “Your hair looks like honey,” Luke said. He felt his face grow warm. He’d never said such a silly thing to a girl before.

  She released a soft laugh before covering her mouth. “Are you hungry too?” she asked him.

  He added his quiet laughter to hers, not wanting to wake anyone.

  “Yes, I’m hungry too,” he told her, smiling into the darkness. “That’s probably why your hair made me think of honey. Your eyes remind me of blueberries.”

  He could see her fighting to hold in her laughter. It pleased him when he heard a tiny giggle escape. After his parents had died, he’d had little time to visit with his friends, and no time
to talk with girls.

  “Your eyes remind me of chocolate pudding,” she said, then turned her face away.

  She’s shy, he thought. He wished he knew how to make her more comfortable around him.

  “Maybe after I’ve had breakfast in the morning, I’ll decide your hair is just yellow and your eyes are just blue.”

  She glanced at him. “Don’t count on it. The porridge they serve us at breakfast is awful. It’s all lumpy.”

  “My mother used to make delicious porridge,” he said, leaning his head back against the wall. The motion of the train vibrated along his skull. “I used to eat four bowls every morning.”

  “What happened to your mother?” she asked. Concern filled her voice.

  “She and my father were going to the Centennial Exposition. The wagon rolled over on them. Killed them both.” The memory made him shudder. He didn’t want to tell her how the horses had suddenly gone wild and bolted. He still could not believe that his father had lost control of the animals.

  “I’m sorry.”

  I could talk with her all night, Luke thought. “What happened to your parents?” he asked gently, anticipating that hers had died as well.

  “They both died of influenza,” she answered quietly. “Not long ago,” she added. Mary drew up her knees and covered her face with her hands. He could see her shoulders shaking.

  He felt sorry he had upset her. He remembered how hard it was the first few weeks after his parents had died. He kept expecting to see them, to hear their voices.

  Luke cleared his throat. “There’s a hole in the roof of the boxcar. I can see the stars.”

  She glanced up. In the moonlight, Luke could see where a tear had trailed down her cheek.

  “Let’s make a wish,” he suggested, hoping to distract her from her sad thoughts.

  She gave him a quivering smile. “I haven’t wished on a star since I was a child.”

  “That’s too long,” he assured her. “Make a wish.”

  She sniffed and looked back up at the small bit of sky visible through the hole.