Control of the Supernaturals_ On Hold

13) The runaway boys

Pat was feeling groggy. His head was aching and his stomach was grumbling. He had been hiding under the bed for almost 30 hours.

Jake had sneaked out a slice of bread and butter for Pat, after tea, which was their last meal of the day. The orphanage board of governors (B.O.D.) skipped their supper, and dinner too. They said it made the boys lazy nd sluggish. A logic no boy could ever understand. How could a meal make boys dawdle while the B.O.D. wolfed down a whole lot of dinner and supper and didn't dawdle.

Pat decided to steal some food out if the larder. He crept out from under Jake's bed and shook him up.

"Wake up, Jake," whispered Pat.

"Wha'," murmured Jake, "look at the time. It's three in the mornin'."

"I know but I need food to survive. I think it's best if I took something to eat and left before anyone is up," said Pat.

"Huh! Left? Left where?" Jake was suddenly wide awake.

"I'm going off to find Richie," said Pat.

"You can't do that," said Jake.

"Why?" asked Pat.

"You can't find Richie on your own. He ... he ...," started Jake.
"What?" asked Pat fiercely.

"He may be miles away by now," said Jake sensibly.

"I will find him no matter what," said Pat stubbornly.

"I hope we do," said Jake.

"We? Who, we?" said Pat.

"Me 'n' you," said Jake.

"Oh no! I'll go alone," said Pat.

"Don't be stupid. If someone kidnaps you too?" said Jake.

"I ...," started Pat.

"You have to let me come. You can't survive alone," said Jake.

"Fine!" Pat surrendered, "we should get some food first."

They took out their torches and satchels and tiptoed out of the room, down the stairs, out of the side door, into the garden and halted in front of the larder window.

They switched on their torches and held them between their teeth. Jake gave pat a leg up. He chambered onto the windowsill and stepped onto the larder shelf inside. He pushed away the tins with his feet and made more room. Then he kneeled on the shelf and leaned out of the window. He adjusted his knees on the shelf and grabbed the window frame with his left hand. He held Pat's right hand in his right and pulled him upwards with all his might. Jake caught hold of the windowsill with his left hand and pushed himself upwards by applying force on the wall beneath, with his feet.

After a lot of puffing and panting Jake sat on the windowsill, grinning at Pat. He crawled on the larder shelf beside Pat, before he could stop him. The sound of a loud crash was heard as the shelf fell on the pyramid of tins on the floor.

"WHO'S THERE?" shouted someone.

Jake's torch had switched off due to the fall and he started panicking at once. Pat was rooted to the spot. He was trying to figure out where the shouter was. In the garden, near the larder window; or in the corridor, near the kitchen door? They were still sprawled on their backs, surrounded by tins, when they heard the crunch of autumn leaves. Someone was coming towards them.

Pat quickly switched off his torch and pulled Jake towards a corner. The crunching of leaves grew louder and they heard someone mumbling near the larder window.

Suddenly, someone flashed a torch inside. He couldn't see them and moved on, flashing his torch here and there. He was the one and only night guard appointed by the B.O.D. He wasn't sure where the sound of crash had come from. He moved on, dragging his feet, mumbling angrily due to the interruption in his beauty, sorry no, just sleep.