Free The Children of Fear by R.L. Stine Page A

children.
    Luke turned to usher Leah and Corey to safety … and stiffened.
    Leah was leaning down, her face near Corey’s. “Now he’ll know what it is to be different,” she said softly.

Chapter
11

    â€œT hat’s a horrible thing to say!” Luke exclaimed.
    â€œBut it’s true,” Leah answered. “With the scar he’s going to have on his face, I bet he won’t make fun of people who are a little different. Like Corey.”
    â€œHelp him!” the woman in the white dress screamed. “Help him!”
    Luke felt his body freeze. He could not force his legs to run toward Mike. All he could do was watch.
    He watched as a man rushed over and pulled the dog off Mike. “I don’t understand it,” the man cried. “My dog has never done anything like this before.”
    Mike’s brothers helped Mike get to his feet. Mike pressed his hand over his torn cheek. Bright red blood seeped between his fingers and trailed down his arm.
    Luke’s stomach lurched. He stole a glance at Leah. A bright smile lit her face. Her green eyes sparkled.
    She’s enjoying this.
    â™¦Â â™¦Â â™¦
    That night Luke waited until Leah and Corey had fallen asleep. Then he crawled across the boxcar to the corner where Mary sat alone.
    â€œI’m worried about Leah,” he confided to Mary quietly. “The people back home were afraid of her. They thought she was evil. I never believed it, but now …”
    In a low voice Luke told her everything, everything that had happened since his parents died. The neighbors’ cattle going crazy. The horses stampeding the night the men burned the farmhouse. The wolf bringing them food.
    â€œYou saw the bees sting Mike and his brother. And then one stung the matron’s lip when she was scolding Corey,” he said to Mary. “And today the collie attacked Mike—and Leah looked so happy about it.”
    â€œThere must be a reasonable explanation for all that happened. I have seen people who are very skilled with animals. But no one who could do the kinds of things you’ve described,” Mary replied softly.
    Luke shook his head. “But what about how happy Leah is when these bad things happen?”
    â€œEverything happened to people she didn’t like,” Mary told him. “She was happy because people she didn’t like got hurt. But that doesn’t mean she made the animals hurt the people.”
    Luke wanted to believe Mary’s logical words. He wanted to believe in Leah’s innocence.
    Mary took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Her hand felt so soft. He’d never felt anything so soft.
    He didn’t want to think about Leah, or Corey, or his responsibilities. He wanted only to think about Mary.
    With his heart pounding so hard that he was certain she could hear it, he leaned over and kissed her.
    Mary’s lips were soft too. And so warm.
    Luke pulled back slightly to study her. She lowered her lashes. Even in the gray shadows, he could see her blush.
    Luke wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. A longer, deeper kiss.
    I could be happy with Mary, he realized. I could be happy with her forever. If no one adopts her, I’ll marry her. I’ll marry her and we’ll raise Leah and Corey together.
    The night air grew colder.
    Luke felt as though a thousand icy pinpoints were pricking his skin. He shuddered and pulled away.
    Mary’s eyes grew wide.
    The hair on the nape of his neck prickled.
    A chill swept through him.
    Mary gasped and shrank back as though she wanted to disappear in the shadows. She pointed a shaking finger at something behind him.
    Before Luke could turn around, strong hands wrapped around his throat.
    And slowly began to squeeze.

Chapter
12

    â€œY ou’re just like our neighbors!” Leah whispered into Luke’s ear.
    He twisted his head around so he could see her face. Her eyes glittered with anger.
    Luke grabbed