The Children of Fear (4 page)

Tomorrow, or the next day, Mr. Stone would return. Only a few silver dollars remained to pay him. Not nearly enough money to keep the farm.

Where would they go? What would they do?

The idea of the orphan train had repulsed him. But now, as he mulled it over, Luke felt it offered some slim hope to keep his family together. On their own, he'd never be able to find a job that could earn enough money to support Leah and Corey.

But while they rode the train, they'd at least get food to eat and a place to live. The train stopped at each town and they'd have a chance of finding a family to take them in.

A family that would take all of them. He'd keep his promise to Leah and Corey. No matter what.

Luke chopped and chopped. He couldn't bare to tell Leah and Corey that they'd soon be chased out of their home by Mr. Stone. How would he tell them about the train?

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves broke into his thoughts. He dropped his ax and looked up to see his neighbor, Jack Baker, riding across the open field. The Baker farm ran alongside the Fier land, but Luke rarely saw his neighbors.

It must be something important for Jack to be riding so hard, Luke thought. He felt a knot of anticipation curl in his stomach as he walked to the front porch.

Corey sat on the steps, pushing the pieces of a wooden puzzle together. A deep furrow marked his
brow. Luke knelt beside his brother and guided his hand, helping him to turn the piece so it would slip into place. Corey tilted his face up and smiled.

Luke grinned back. “Can you say 'puzzle'?”

Corey's smile slipped away as he stubbornly shook his head. Luke ruffled his black hair. “It's all right, Corey. Someday you will talk again.”

Luke stood up as Jack reined his horse to a halt. The horse snorted and pranced.

“Hello, Jack. Something I can do for you today?” Luke greeted his neighbor.

“I've come to warn you, Luke. If it hasn't struck here already.”

“Warn us about what?” Luke felt his heart pounding fast.

“A strange illness is spreading through the cattle around here. Makes the animals go crazy. The Wade brothers had to shoot six of their herd yesterday. We had to kill three of ours today.”

“We've had no trouble so far,” Luke replied slowly. He stepped off the porch. “Is there a way to tell if they're sick?”

Jack dismounted. “I'll show you what to look for.”

He led Jack around the back of the house. Luke heard the rapid patter of small feet. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Corey as he raced after them.

“We have so few cows now, we just let them graze back here,” Luke told Jack. “It's not worth taking them out to pasture.”

Jack crouched down. He grabbed a cow's head. The cow shook its head and mooed. Jack tightened his hold and held the cow's head still. He angled its face one way and then the other.

“What are you looking for?” Luke asked as he squatted for a closer look. Corey squatted beside him, his face serious.

“When they're sick, they have this thick green stuff dripping out of their noses. Then it turns red. That's when they start going crazy.”

“I've never heard of anything like that,” Luke remarked. He thought back over the various sicknesses in the animals he'd seen his father treat.

“No one has,” Jack replied. “It has people around here a little spooked. But your cows seem fine.”

“Still, I'll watch them closely. We can't afford to lose any cows.”

As Jack turned to go, he froze, his eyes widening with fear.

Luke followed the direction of Jack's gaze. Near the back porch, Leah fed a wolf little scraps of meat by hand.

Jack gasped and stumbled backward a few steps. “A wolf!” he called out, pointing at Leah. “Get a gun! Get the little boy back—”

“It's all right,” Luke said calmly. He took Corey's hand to reassure him. “Leah has a way with animals.”

Jack jerked his head up and down. “But it's a wolf. Last winter a wolf killed some of our cattle. I … I … I must go,” he rasped.

He raced out of the yard. Less than a minute later, Luke heard a horse galloping away. The cow bawled again and snorted.

Leah wandered over and placed her hand on the cow's forehead. Its large tongue slipped out to lick her elbow.

“What did Jack want?” Leah asked.

“He said people's cows are getting sick,” Luke told her.

Gently Leah held the cow's head and tilted it up. The cow didn't balk or protest as it had when Jack held it.

“She looks healthy,” Leah announced.

Luke heard the relief in her voice. She loved animals. He knew it hurt her when they were sick. Sometimes he thought Leah could actually feel what they were feeling.

“I thought she looked all right, but I'm glad to hear you say that,” Luke replied. “You know a lot more about animals than I do.”

“She'll be fine,” Leah said with confidence. “All our cows will be fine.”

“I hope so. We can't afford to lose any. I know it must be hard on our neighbors to watch their cows get sick and to have to shoot them.”

“I'm glad
their
cows are all sick.”

“You don't mean that,” Luke said.

“Yes, I do,” Leah said. “Those people deserve it. They act like I'm some kind of monster!”

♦ ♦ ♦

The following Saturday, Luke took Leah and Corey into Stormy Ridge for supplies. Usually the town bustled with activity on Saturday because all the area farmers came into town for their weekly supplies.

But today Luke saw only a few people walking along the wooden sidewalks. Everything seemed eerily hushed, as though the entire town had fallen into mourning.

Luke opened the door to Hammond's General Store. The bell above the door jangled, sounding even louder than usual to Luke because the store stood
empty of customers. Luke's footsteps echoed over the hardwood floor, with Leah's and Corey's following close behind.

Luke saw Mr. Hammond step through the curtains that led into the storeroom.

“Good day, young Fiers. How are you all today?” Mr. Hammond asked solemnly.

“We're fine,” Luke replied. “It seems quiet in town today.”

“It's been quiet all week,” Mr. Hammond told him. “People are battling to save their cows from this strange sickness. But they aren't having much luck. How many have you had to shoot?”

“We haven't had to shoot any.”

Mr. Hammond's eyes widened. “What are you giving them when they get sick?”

Luke shrugged. “None of our cows have gotten sick.”

Mr. Hammond narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Why do you think that is?”

“I guess we're just lucky.” Luke shrugged.

Mr. Hammond's gaze darted over to Leah. “Maybe,” he quietly answered. “Or maybe it's more than luck.”

“Leah can't control diseases, Mr. Hammond,” Luke said firmly.

Mr. Hammond nodded. “I guess she can't. Everyone is just a little nervous these days. What can I do for you?”

“We need some sugar and flour,” Luke told him. “And some canned goods.”

Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out the last of his money—five dollars. He placed a half dollar on the counter. “We need as much as this will buy.”

Mr. Hammond nodded. “I'll get you a box.”

He bent down behind the counter and stiffened. “You children get out of here,” he said in a low voice.

Luke leaned over the counter. He could see that Mr. Hammond had lifted a box. “What is it, Mr. Hammond?” he asked.

“Snake,” Mr. Hammond whispered. “I've never seen one this big. Go find someone with a gun.”

Before Luke could stop her, Leah walked around the counter and knelt beside Mr. Hammond. “It's all right, Mr. Hammond,” she whispered. “He won't hurt you.”

She held out her arms. Frozen with fear, Luke watched as a huge green snake slithered up her arm and across her shoulders. It wrapped itself around her, its wicked black eyes watching her, its tongue darting in and out. Luke quickly pushed Corey behind him, shielding his younger brother with his body. He swallowed back a lump of terror as his gaze fixed the snake's pointed, curled fangs.

She stood, running her hand over the snake's head. It hissed. Leah met Luke's gaze. “When we get home, I'll set it free in the woods.”

She walked out from behind the counter. Corey reached up and touched the large snake's tail. Luke shuddered. He knew Leah had a gift, but it gave him chills to see the shiny green snake draped over her shoulders like a shawl.

Mr. Hammond stood. Luke could see that he was shaking.

“I'm closing the store,” Mr. Hammond said, his voice quivering.

“But we need supplies,” Luke said.

“You'll have to get them another day.”

Luke scraped his coins off the counter and put them in his pocket. “Come on, Leah and Corey.”

They left the store. Luke heard Mr. Hammond slam the lock into place behind them.

As they walked down the street, Luke could feel people staring at them. He saw a woman draw her curtains together as they walked past. Leah and Corey seemed unaware of the attention they were getting as the snake moved sinuously over Leah.

Luke couldn't wait for them to get home so Leah could set the snake free.

♦ ♦ ♦

Late that night, Luke jumped up in bed. He felt confused. What had awakened him?

Then he heard it. A man's voice yelling. Harsh, angry words.

No, more than one man. Many men. Many voices.

And along with the voice, the dull pounding of horses' hooves. His heart thudded wildly in his chest.

The sounds grew louder.

Coming closer.

He scrambled out of bed and pulled on his shirt and overalls.

Who are they? he wondered. What do they want?

He ran to the window and looked out into the pitch-dark night. He heard the shrill cry of horses and the yells of angry men.

Then he saw them, circling the house. Closing in like rabid wolves.

His mouth suddenly dry, his temples throbbing, Luke rushed down the stairs and into the front parlor.

With shaking hands he grabbed his rifle from above the mantel. Frantically, he flung open the door.

He dashed onto the porch and peered into the black night. He saw only the retreating shadows of specters galloping down the dark road.

Breathing heavily, he stumbled down the steps and dropped to his knees. The dark clouds rolled away from the moon. The moonlight shimmered over a dark red pool of thick blood.

In its center, a cow's head glared at Luke with accusing black eyes.

L
uke screamed with disgust and scrambled to his feet. The cow stared up at him with blank, unseeing eyes. Its thick grayish-red tongue hung from a gaping mouth as red blood oozed from its severed neck.

Luke started to turn away, but something caught his eye. Looking more closely, he could see a white piece of paper stuck into the cow's mouth. A note!

He took a deep breath and reached for it. His fingers slid over the slick tongue as he worked to unroll it. Grabbing the paper, he stood and held the note up to the moonlight.

Our cows die—your cows die. Stop your sister. Or we will.

In shock, Luke stared at the note. They think Leah
has something to do with the strange cattle disease? That's impossible!

He looked at the cow's head. A warning! They had killed his cow. Would they kill his sister?

He hurried back into the house, eager to make certain that Leah was all right. He spotted her on the front porch, her long white nightgown billowing in the breeze, her black hair freed from her braids and streaming wildly around her shoulders.

Luke stood stone still for a moment and stared at her. Her pale gown shimmered strangely in the moonlight, and her face wore an eerie expression. Corey stood beside her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Corey's green eyes were wide with worry, his bottom lip quivering. Leah draped her arm over his shoulder.

“Don't worry, Corey. They are gone now.” Luke heard her soothe him in the same quiet voice she used on the animals.

“Yes, they are gone,” Luke assured them. He walked up to the porch. “If they come back, I'll be ready for them,” he promised, brandishing his shotgun.

“What's that, a note?” Leah asked.

“It's nothing—” Luke shoved the note into his pocket. But Leah quickly snatched the paper away from him. Her jaw tightened as she read it.

“How could they think I would do something like that?” she cried. She balled up the paper and tossed it on the ground.

She turned to face Luke, her eyes dark with rage. “How could they think I have some evil power? I hate them! I hate them all!”

♦ ♦ ♦

Two days later, as Luke slowly trudged behind the stubborn mule and the heavy plow, he spotted Mr. Stone. The grim-faced man plodded across the fields toward him.