The first of a series of Historical Fiction Adventure Novels following the events of the main characters. Written in cliff-hanger style the adventures are suspensful, the action never ending, and the characters -loveable.
Excerpt
A whipping and a head start~
Toby bolted across the street, the rain was steady and he ducked under the awning. Wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt he edged along the building. Then he peered around the corner and into the next street. No other boys were in sight. Nothing there except a couple of delivery wagons, parked along the narrow streets. Their horses were shaking rain from their heads and pawing the pavement in agitation.
Toby ran across this street, avoiding the mud puddles, and reached the next corner. He looked at the boots he wore, still shining from yesterday’s funeral.
He was leaning around the corner to check the next street’s safety, when a hand caught him at the throat and pulled him fully around the corner of the building.
The older, and larger, boy sneered into Toby’s face. “Empty your pocket!” He jerked Toby several times to keep him off balance. Toby’s eyes widened, he thought of the pocket knife, his father’s. Before he could say anything the older boy shoved him into the wall and kneed him in the groin. Toby went down to one knee. The larger boy had a handful of hair and wrenched his head back. Rain beat into his eyes and he couldn’t clear them to see his tormentor.
He was wedged down and couldn’t do much. Even if he could see him, the other boy was too strong and held him too tightly.
It was early and there simply weren’t enough people out yet that might hear him if he yelled.
Toby grimaced and whispered through his clenched teeth “Go to hell!” His hair was nearly pulled from his scalp. A hand groped at his pants pocket. It fumbled before finding the knife as Toby tried to resist but the hair pulling worked.
Several seconds later, the older one, had the knife and stepped back from Toby. Toby wiped his eyes and could see the thief. He knew the boy and also knew him to be a mean tormentor to other boys that worked in the area shops.
The older boy turned and trotted away. Toby was quick to his feet and started after the boy. “You filthy.., give it back!” The older boy looked back and continued to trot along the sidewalk. He was twenty feet ahead of Toby, and he just smirked.
Toby rose and started to run, so did the other boy. The older one started curving his path towards the other side of the street. Toby was closing in and knew he could catch him -But what then!?!
He knew the other could beat him in a fight, and in another block, he’d probably find his other buddies. Toby figured that was the only reason he ran.
Passing the nearby wagon Toby glanced over and saw it! Lying coiled across the seat was a bullwhip.
Two strides later, he had it in his hand and gripped the handle tight. He let the whip uncurl and trail behind him. The older boy had seen the move and he showed a sign of fear as he started to run for all he was worth.
Toby matched his every move. Each time the boy faked a dodge, Toby moved right up, gaining a step or two on the boy. The thief turned a corner and slipped on the wet brick street. He was nearly down, his one arm on the pavement, and the leg sliding out from under him. In one fluid movement, Toby stopped, ten feet from his target, and his arm came forward. He expertly flipped his wrist, drawing the tip of the whip down on his intended victim.
The leather of the whip’s tip tore a one inch by two inch long gash on the older boy’s calf, just below his shorten pants. The boy howled a scream but the drumming rain kept it unheard. His eyes turned to Toby, “I’ll get…,” the whip curled into the air and found the older boy’s ear and part of his jaw. Part of the ear lobe split and flapped loosely. The opening on his cheek gaped wide and blood burst out.
The boy grabbed his face with the hand that wasn’t holding his knee. Blood was everywhere! Toby shouted, “Give it to me!” The boy had dropped the knife then held his leg and face. “Give it TO me!” Toby shouted again. The boys hand slipped from the bleeding leg wound, he grabbed the knife and slid it to him.
Toby bent to pick up the knife and the other scowled “I’ll use that to cut..,” Before he could finish the threat Toby raised the whip -and that silenced the boy. He turned and walked back to the wagon without turning back. He coiled the whip and placed it neatly on the seat.
Then he looked at the knife and rubbed the boy’s blood off, with the help of the rain, then he shook off the water, and he returned it to his pocket and trotted to the workshop. This time he didn’t bother to look down any streets.
He moved quickly, his heart was pounding, yet he began to cool off. He thought about the last five minutes and realized that he was probably still early for his first day of work. He did turn around several times to make sure the other boy hadn’t found his friends and were after him. After his breathing slowed he resumed his normal stride and began to whistle softly.
Copyright 2008 Thom Rogers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
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