Ancient Birthright Read Online Free Page B

in town was a budding strong-arm extortionist and delighted in making anyone younger or smaller his victims.
    Beldon turned around and walked backward as he called to his sister. “Terrie, will you shut up? If Billy is around and hears you calling me, I’m in big trouble.” Beldon spun around and drew a bead on the street corner. He put on a burst of speed, twenty feet to safety—and the world ended. Billy appeared on the corner waiting for him, smacking one clenched fist into his open palm. They were in the same grade, but Billy outweighed him by sixty pounds and had at least two inches in height on him. He’d managed to avoid the thug all week until today.
    Oh shit, Oh crap, how am I going to get out of this? If I can just get past him, maybe I can make it home before he catches me, or maybe I can bluff.
    “There you are Billy. I’ve been looking for you all week to give you that homework you wanted. Where’ve you been hiding?” asked Beldon as he tried to step away from Billy’s ham-fisted lunge.
    Billy grabbed Beldon by the front of his shirt and shoved him into the hedge growing along the sidewalk as he used his other hand to rip the pack from Beldon’s shoulders.
    “Stuff it, Dumbass. I know you’ve been hiding from me. If I don’t get that homework turned in by three, I’m going to be in summer school, and it’ll be your fault.”
    “How many times do I have to tell you, my name is Dumas, Beldon Thomas Dumas?”
    “That’s what I said Bel-don Tom-ass Dumb-ass. Now where’s my homework?”
    Beldon could feel trickles of blood running down his back from where the hedge branches ripped his skin.
    “I left it with, Mrs. Thornbloom. I told her it was for you, and that you insisted I get it to her before the end of the day. I was very polite and told her I’d been especially neat and careful when I did it so you’d get a good grade. All you have to do is stop in her room and sign your name at the top of each page.”
    Billy looked at him for a minute. “You know, Dumbass...you’re not so bad. I thought you were trying to stiff me on our deal. I’ll swing by the school and sign the homework on my way to meet my dad at the country club. Maybe we can do business next week, too.” He released his hold on Beldon after one last shove. Billy unzipped the backpack and dumped the contents on the sidewalk. He kicked at the pile of books that spilled to the ground. He giggled to himself as he managed to rip the cover off one of the books before heading down the street toward Terrie and the school.
    Beldon stumbled as he pushed out of the hedge keeping a wary eye on Billy. He’s dumber than a dead stump and meaner than a junkyard dog. I’m sure he’ll go a long way in politics just like his daddy. I better call the President tonight and let him know I found his next Secretary of State. I’ll bet he doesn’t even know this was the last day of school.
    He skipped so often, that it’s a miracle he’s still enrolled. I wished I could see his face when he finds out I didn’t do his stupid homework.
    Billy hip-checked Terrie as he passed her. She flew across the grass between the sidewalk and street and hit face first in the side of a parked car. She rebounded from the car crying, and fell to the grass holding her nose. Her backpack split open. Papers and art projects spilled out and scattered in the breeze.
    Laughing, Billy stopped and toed her hard in the side. “You’re just like your brother...a Dumbass crybaby. You’re lucky that chicken shit brother of yours got my homework done, else I’d have to hurt you to teach him a lesson.”
    Beldon ran back to his sister to protect her from Billy. “You’ve only got a few minutes to get those papers signed, Billy. Besides, she’s just a little kid; she’s only twelve. You don’t want to hurt her,” Beldon said as he got between Billy and Terrie.
    “Yeah, I have to get back before old lady Thornbloom leaves. Remember, Dumbass, your hide’s not the