Read Online The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman - Free Book Online
Authors: Jody Feldman
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head. “You can’t hate this place,” he said.
Gil went over to the trunk with his name engraved on top. Dangling above, a poster-sized purple envelope read,
Lavinia’s was the only envelope already opened. Gil tugged his loose from the kelly green ribbon suspending it from the ceiling. He reached in and pulled out the yellow paper.
Dear Gil,
Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there was…STOP!
Wait. Cease. Desist. Fast forward. Here. Now.
No more past. No more future.
Concentrate. Here. Now.
Plug in your brain. Rev up your mind. Stretch out your legs.
This may be the most amazing day you’ll experience. Ever.
A whirlwind of sights.
An explosion of sounds.
A feast for your senses.
All wrapped in a tangle of games.
You’ve already won everything inside this trunk, including some items dating back to once upon a time. Exactly what? You’ll have to wait.
DO NOT OPEN THE TRUNK NOW. There will be a time and a place and a purpose for everything. Remember that.
Best of luck,
Golly Toy and Game Company
P.S. Leave the letter and envelope here, and follow the blinking green arrows.
“What green arrows?”
His father pointed down.
“Right,” said Gil. “Because if you’re looking for blinking arrows, you expect to find them sunk into the floor.”
Gil read the letter once more, trying to memorize it for any clues he might need later. Then, with his dad beside him, he followed the green arrows to the right, down hallways lined with framed documents, signed and stamped with gold seals. Seals as in animals.
They ended at a green door, guarded by a redheaded woman dressed in jeans and a green shirt. “Gil, you’re here!” she said like a long-lost friend. “I’m Carol. Nice to meet you both. Gil, when you’re ready, go right in and wait for the rest of your team. And Mr. Goodson, stay put for a sec. We’ll show you to the spectator area, a luxury section above the action. Perfect view.”
His dad gave Gil a firm squeeze around his shoulders. “So long,” he said.
“See ya,” Gil replied.
“Adios.”
“Aloha.”
“Shalom.”
Gil turned toward the door, which opened by itself. “Sayonara.” He took a last glance over his shoulder and stepped inside. On a shining wooden floor stood a massive wooden table surrounded by sixteen burgundy leather chairs. An imposing bookcase guarded the corner. It was all serious and businesslike. The rest of the room, though, was lit like a giant party. Balloons bobbed, masking every inch of the ceiling. Fun house mirrors saluted like soldiers on either side of a second door. Giant streamers and noisemakers popped out of vases like flowers. Murals of kids, animals, cartoon characters, food, and toys splashed the walls.
It took Gil a moment to realize Lavinia was already there, looking very small in one of those chairs. Her hair was gathered in a turquoise ribbon and her intertwined fingers gripped one another on top of the table.
“Hi,” Gil said. “You look as nervous as I am.”
Lavinia shrugged. “I keep trying to fool myself that this is like any other scholarship competition,but the gorilla rocking chair over here makes that hard to remember.”
“So does this guy.” Gil popped the bounce-back wrestler in the gut a few times.
“Like Mother says, if we keep our focus, we should win.” Lavinia gave a sharp nod like she was trying to convince herself. “Any words of wisdom from your father?”
“He mostly reminded me to have fun.”
“Well. That is one way to look at it.”
“I guess.” He popped the wrestler in the stomach again. And again. And again.
Soon the door opened for Thorn. Not a minute later, Rocky and Bianca and the redheaded woman swept in.
“Hey, Green Team. Have a seat at the table. As I said, my name is Carol, and I’ll be your teacher, your mom, your best friend, your worst enemy, your only contact for this portion of the Gollywhopper Games. You have questions, you ask me. You need to go to the bathroom, you
Gil went over to the trunk with his name engraved on top. Dangling above, a poster-sized purple envelope read,
Lavinia’s was the only envelope already opened. Gil tugged his loose from the kelly green ribbon suspending it from the ceiling. He reached in and pulled out the yellow paper.
Dear Gil,
Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there was…STOP!
Wait. Cease. Desist. Fast forward. Here. Now.
No more past. No more future.
Concentrate. Here. Now.
Plug in your brain. Rev up your mind. Stretch out your legs.
This may be the most amazing day you’ll experience. Ever.
A whirlwind of sights.
An explosion of sounds.
A feast for your senses.
All wrapped in a tangle of games.
You’ve already won everything inside this trunk, including some items dating back to once upon a time. Exactly what? You’ll have to wait.
DO NOT OPEN THE TRUNK NOW. There will be a time and a place and a purpose for everything. Remember that.
Best of luck,
Golly Toy and Game Company
P.S. Leave the letter and envelope here, and follow the blinking green arrows.
“What green arrows?”
His father pointed down.
“Right,” said Gil. “Because if you’re looking for blinking arrows, you expect to find them sunk into the floor.”
Gil read the letter once more, trying to memorize it for any clues he might need later. Then, with his dad beside him, he followed the green arrows to the right, down hallways lined with framed documents, signed and stamped with gold seals. Seals as in animals.
They ended at a green door, guarded by a redheaded woman dressed in jeans and a green shirt. “Gil, you’re here!” she said like a long-lost friend. “I’m Carol. Nice to meet you both. Gil, when you’re ready, go right in and wait for the rest of your team. And Mr. Goodson, stay put for a sec. We’ll show you to the spectator area, a luxury section above the action. Perfect view.”
His dad gave Gil a firm squeeze around his shoulders. “So long,” he said.
“See ya,” Gil replied.
“Adios.”
“Aloha.”
“Shalom.”
Gil turned toward the door, which opened by itself. “Sayonara.” He took a last glance over his shoulder and stepped inside. On a shining wooden floor stood a massive wooden table surrounded by sixteen burgundy leather chairs. An imposing bookcase guarded the corner. It was all serious and businesslike. The rest of the room, though, was lit like a giant party. Balloons bobbed, masking every inch of the ceiling. Fun house mirrors saluted like soldiers on either side of a second door. Giant streamers and noisemakers popped out of vases like flowers. Murals of kids, animals, cartoon characters, food, and toys splashed the walls.
It took Gil a moment to realize Lavinia was already there, looking very small in one of those chairs. Her hair was gathered in a turquoise ribbon and her intertwined fingers gripped one another on top of the table.
“Hi,” Gil said. “You look as nervous as I am.”
Lavinia shrugged. “I keep trying to fool myself that this is like any other scholarship competition,but the gorilla rocking chair over here makes that hard to remember.”
“So does this guy.” Gil popped the bounce-back wrestler in the gut a few times.
“Like Mother says, if we keep our focus, we should win.” Lavinia gave a sharp nod like she was trying to convince herself. “Any words of wisdom from your father?”
“He mostly reminded me to have fun.”
“Well. That is one way to look at it.”
“I guess.” He popped the wrestler in the stomach again. And again. And again.
Soon the door opened for Thorn. Not a minute later, Rocky and Bianca and the redheaded woman swept in.
“Hey, Green Team. Have a seat at the table. As I said, my name is Carol, and I’ll be your teacher, your mom, your best friend, your worst enemy, your only contact for this portion of the Gollywhopper Games. You have questions, you ask me. You need to go to the bathroom, you
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