The Children of Fear Read Free

the rest of the day, he knew his sister would make good on her promise. He sighed and bent down to pick his dusty hat up from the ground.
    â€œAll right.” He nodded. “We’ll go.”
    â™¦Â â™¦Â â™¦
    With Corey perched on his shoulders, Luke trudged down the dirt road toward town. Leah walked beside him, leading her black horse, Phantom. She wouldn’t let them ride the horse to town because she didn’t want it worn out before the race.
    Luke felt she could never win the race. But he forced himself not to say anything more about it.
    When we get to town, Leah will see for herself that winning this race is just a dream, Luke thought.
    They neared the town and heard the crowds and the sound of a brass band. As they turned up the crossroads and walked down Main Street, Luke saw banners strung up from one side of the road to the other and people milling about everywhere. He’d never seen so many people in the small town. Most of the clapboard stores had signs hanging in the windows or on the doors that said CLOSED FOR THE BIG RACE.
    He spotted some signs that said the horse race would take place on Main Street at one o’clock. He guessed by the sun that it was nearly that time already.
    â€œIsn’t it exciting?” Leah said. “It looks like everyone is here to watch the race.” Standing on tiptoe, she pointed to the town hall. A group of men—laughing and talking—stood on the porch and front steps in front of the building. Beside them, another man stood on a barrel. He held a wooden sign over his head that read SIGN UP FOR THE RACE HERE.
    â€œThat’s where I need to go,” she told Luke.
    Luke nodded. “I’ll hold Phantom for you.”
    He took the reins from his sister, shifted Corey on his shoulders, and followed Leah.
    â€œI need to sign up for the race,” Leah said excitedly to the men standing on the porch. They suddenly grew quiet and stared at Leah as though she had sprouted another head. One tall young man with broad shoulders stepped forward.
    â€œYou can’t be in the race,” he told Leah. “You’re a girl.”
    Leah tipped up her nose. “Thomas Wade, you show me the rules—in writing.”
    Thomas Wade ran his fingers through his dark red hair. “The rules aren’t written, but we all know them,” he said. “No girls.”
    â€œYou don’t want me to enter because you know I’ll win,” Leah said.
    Thomas narrowed his black eyes. “No one can beat the Wades,” he said, his voice low.
    Luke stepped forward. He knew everyone in town feared the Wade brothers. They were the wealthiest family in the area. They had used their wealth and influence to run more than one family out of town. Luke didn’t like them, but he knew Leah had her heart set on entering the race.
    â€œIf no one can beat you,” Luke said, “then it shouldn’t bother you if Leah enters.”
    â€œLuke’s right,” a deep voice agreed.
    Everyone turned to see Earl Wade walk toward the town hall, leading two golden stallions with long silver manes. Luke’s gaze roamed over the horses’ powerful builds. He saw their muscles bunching as they followed their master. Luke’s heart sank. He knew Leah’s horse could never outrun them.
    â€œLet her enter,” Earl said.
    Leah squealed with delight. “Thanks, Earl. I won’t beat you too badly.”
    One man on the porch picked up a large chalkboard and stepped over to Leah. Luke saw that the names of everyone entered in the race were written on the board.
    â€œWrite your name under there,” the man grumbled as he handed Leah a piece of chalk.
    With quick, neat strokes Leah wrote her name out on the board.
    Luke saw Thomas and Earl exchange glances. Thentheir mouths curved up into grins. He feared what the Wade brothers planned.
    Leah brushed the chalk dust off her hands and took the reins from