Gasparilla's Treasure (Trip Mongomery Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

held it delicately in his hands; afraid he might damage it.  It was an old tattered book with the hand written title, The Quest for Gasparilla’s Treasure .

CHAPTER 8
     
    The following morning as Trip arrived at school, he heard the familiar voice that made his stomach churn.
    Eli spoke up so everyone could hear, “Hello, Francis.  I trust you have brought me my money today.”
    Trip had hoped he could avoid Eli today, but was not surprised that Eli found him.  After yesterday’s fight, it was certain Eli would make an example out of him. 
    When Trip looked at Eli, he imagined him hugging and kissing Sarah.  The thought made it difficult to keep breakfast from coming up.  He wished Josh had kept his mouth shut about Eli and Sarah.  If it had been anyone else that told him, he would have thought it was a lie.  But Josh always told him the truth, and he never gossiped.  He just told it how it was.
    “Did you hear me, Francis?” barked Eli.  “I want my money.  Now!”
    “Oh, you’re using Francis now.  I think I liked Twit better.”
    “Do you have my money, or do you want your beating?  TWIT!  Your choice, not mine.”
    Trip stayed calm.  “I guess I was wrong.  I don’t like Twit either. Try saying Trip.  It's easy.  You'll like it… Trip.”
    A crowd gathered, and Eli motioned for his Goons to grab Trip.
    Trip spoke up for everyone to hear.  “What’s the matter, Eli?  You scared to fight fair?  Need your goons to help you, I guess.  Why don't you just let me go, and we can all just get on with our day.”
    Eli’s nostrils flared, and his face turned bright red.  Trip was pretty sure it was a bad idea to get Eli worked up like this, but from now on, this game was going to be played by Trip’s rules.
    “No one goes anywhere, until I get my money!” commanded Eli.
    “Well, you just need to give up that idea, because it's just not going to happen,” Trip stated calmly.
    Eli addressed the crowd.  “Now everyone pay close attention to what happens if you don't keep up with your payments.”
    Eli took every bit of rage and hate he was feeling toward Trip and reared back.  He put everything he had into a full on punch, hard, in Trip’s stomach.  There was a loud thud, and the sound of cracking bones.  It was Eli’s hand.  Eli let out a blood-curdling scream of pain.
    Trip pulled the cast iron plate from under his shirt, the one from the trunk, and held it up, silently thanking Pappy.
    “Oh, sorry about that.  I found this thing in my attic last night and I though I'd bring it to show in class,” Trip said in his calmest voice.  “Take a look, it’s really quite interesting.”
    “You must have a death wish,” hissed Eli.  “Get him!”
    Two goons grabbed Trip, and one immediately punched Trip in the stomach.  Then another goon took a turn.  Trip gasped for air as he went down on his knees.
    “You think you’re funny, Twit?  This is how you amuse yourself?” snarled Eli.
    Trip had never seen Eli like this.  He was intense and focused.  He was no longer performing for the crowd.  This was personal.
    “Well, you don’t know the meaning of pain,” continued Eli as he grabbed the cast iron plate.  “You look like you enjoyed using this plate to hurt me. Well, now we’re gonna see what kind of job this little plate can do on your face!”
    This was bad!  This was really bad.  Trip could barely breathe from the blows to the stomach, and Eli’s goons had a death grip on him.  They knew if they let Trip out of this, Eli would kill them.  Trip’s mind was racing, but there was no way out.  Eli was going to bash his face in with the cast iron plate.  And he probably would not stop there.  The beating was sure to continue.
    Eli confirmed Trip’s suspicion.  “And the pain won’t stop.  You made a huge mistake here today.  One you will regret for the rest of your…”
    “ENOUGH!” A voice boomed across the schoolyard.  “You boys stop this at