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

her wrists. But Leah managed to tighten her grip on his neck.
    â€œYou think I’m evil!” she accused.
    â€œNo, Leah—” Luke choked out.
    â€œYou’re the evil one, Luke,” she replied in a quivering voice. “You were happy the dog bit Mike. You just won’t admit it.”
    â€œI was not happy,” he croaked.
    From the corner of his eye he saw Mary rise. She held her hands out toward Leah.
    â€œIt’s this train,” Mary said in her soft voice. “Itmakes everyone unhappy. It makes everyone stop trusting.”
    â€œIt’s not the train,” Leah insisted. “It’s you … and Luke. I heard you both. You think I’m evil!”
    With a furious cry Leah shoved Luke back. His head hit the floor with a thud. Pain shot through his skull. White light flashed across his vision.
    Leah scrambled on top of him and straddled his chest.
    â€œEvil!” Leah shrieked. “You think I’m evil!”
    Her fingers closed around Luke’s throat again, cutting off his air. He grabbed her arms, trying to free himself.
    But she dug her thumbs into the soft flesh at the base of his throat. Pressing and pressing.
    He gagged and gasped. A red haze quivered at the edge of his vision.
    It brightened, then dulled.
    The light from the moon began to melt away. Darkness closed in.
    In the far distance, Luke could hear a tiny cry.
    Corey!
    Their fighting woke him.
    Then Luke felt Leah’s hands loosen. The frigid night air rushed into his lungs. He rolled over, gasping for breath. Then he sat up.
    He looked over his shoulder. Corey snuggled in Leah’s lap. She crooned softly to him as she rocked him back and forth.
    â€œShhh,” she whispered softly. “Shhh. It’s all right. I only wanted to make Luke listen. I’m not evil.”
    She looked up, her gaze locking onto Luke’s. “I’m not evil,” she told Luke, her voice trembling.
    Luke rubbed his bruised throat. She tried to kill me,he thought wildly. If Corey hadn’t started to cry, she would have killed me.
    â€œI wouldn’t have killed you, Luke,” Leah said quietly as though she had read his mind.
    Suddenly he knew she spoke the truth. She wouldn’t have killed him. It wasn’t her way. If she wanted him dead, she would send one of her animal friends to kill him.
    Corey scrambled off Leah’s lap and grabbed Luke’s flannel shirt. He grabbed the front of Leah’s worn calico dress.
    â€œWe’ve upset him,” Leah said. “He wants us to apologize. I’m sorry if I hurt you.”
    She looked contrite, but Luke had a hard time forgetting the wild look in her eyes as she choked him.
    Corey twisted Luke’s shirt. His eyes were frightened.
    Luke didn’t want to upset his little brother any further. He put his arm around Corey. “It’s all right,” he whispered in a hoarse voice. “It’s been a long day. We’re all tired. We need to sleep. I’m not angry with Leah, I promise.”
    Luke expected Corey to release him then, but Corey only tightened his hold on Luke’s shirt and tugged harder. Luke stretched out on the boxcar floor beside Corey.
    Then Corey tugged on Leah’s skirt. She lay down on the other side of Corey.
    Luke soon heard his brother’s gentle snores as he fell asleep, snuggled closely between Luke and Leah.
    Luke could feel Leah’s cold green stare boring into him over Corey’s head.
    It was a long time before Luke was able to sleep.
    â™¦Â â™¦Â â™¦
    The next morning the matron gave out bowls of porridge to each child. Luke sat down next to Mary while they ate breakfast.
    He quickly downed his small portion of porridge. Mary held out her bowl. “You look hungry. Here, take mine,” she suggested.
    â€œOh, no. I couldn’t,” Luke replied, though his empty stomach grumbled.
    â€œPlease—I don’t like it. It will just be thrown