Eliot Morris's Arc

Chapter 1 of 3

Eliot sat on his bed and opened his notebook to a fresh page. He wrote "Buc-ee's Trip Budget" at the top and underlined it twice. His dad always said you needed a plan before you spent money. Eliot pulled out his piggy bank and counted the bills and coins inside. Twenty-three dollars and forty-seven cents. Not enough for gas and snacks for two adults. He chewed his lip and thought hard. Maybe he could ask his grandma for help, or do extra chores around the neighborhood. The important thing was getting started. He wrote down all the costs he could think of: gas, drinks, maybe lunch at Buc-ee's famous barbecue counter. His pencil moved faster as ideas filled the page. This vacation would happen. He'd make sure of it. He flipped back through his notebook to the page where he'd drawn the giant beaver mascot from memory. Buc-ee's was the perfect place. His mom had talked about it once, how she'd stopped there on a road trip before he was born. His dad loved their clean bathrooms and cheap fountain drinks. If Eliot could get them both there together, they'd have to talk. They'd have to remember good times. He added "beaver keychain souvenirs" to his list and circled it. The trip would cost more than twenty-three dollars, but he had two weeks before summer ended. Two weeks to earn money and make this work. He closed the notebook and tucked it under his pillow. His parents would be together again, and it would start at Buc-ee's.