Dangerously Hoping to Survive Chapter One
“Now, is your bag all packed? Have you packed enough underwear and socks? You must remember your jacket and your army-print pants. You are going to be there for five days, so make sure you have everything you need- I know what you boys are like! Mr. Walker doesn’t have a key to house!” said Michael’s mother, hurrily packing his suitcase.
“But muuuummmm! I HATE Mr.Walker! He’s old and he smells of yucky soap! I am NOT going to Mr. Walkers and you can’t make me!” Michael responded, like every other eight year old in the same situation, and turned his back on his mother, firmly attaching his feet to the ground.
“Michael! Stop that nonsense now! You have no choice. Dad and I are going away for a few days and that’s that! Now,” she said in a hushed voice so his little brother James couldn’t hear, “If you’re a good boy and look after James and don’t give Mr. Walker any grief, I will bring you back a present!” To that, Michael slowly turned back around to face his mother and said shyly, “Will it be chocolate? The kind that has funny-stuff-that-pops-in-your-mouth chocolate?”
“We’ll see. But now, it is time for us to go to Mr. Walkers, and remember- be on your very best behaviour at all times, otherwise no present.” Michael couldn’t refuse anymore and he took mother’s hand, James took the other and off they went with their back packs to Mr. Walker’s house across the road.
Michael had never seen inside Mr. Walker’s house before. It looked lovely on the outside- a white picket fence surrounding a garden with gerberas, lavender, lilies and dandelions. Everything looked well manicured- no blade of grass was longer than the other and none of the ivy around the fence was out of place. It seemed he was quite the perfectionist! Up the garden path Michael walked, thinking that maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing staying at Mr. Walker’s at all- he could play in the sun with James and roll in the grass. But when they reached the door, he got quite scared of the place by the look of the doorknocker. It was a brass eagle’s head with rubies for the eyes and it looked like the eyes were watching every move you made…
DING DONG. Michael and James’ mother rung the doorbell and within five seconds, Mr. Walker opened the front door. ‘How can a man so slow with a walking stick be so fast?!’ wondered Michael. “Hi” Mr. Walker said, with a look about him that said I-really-wish-you-weren’t-staying with-me-for-five-days-but-I-had-no-choice. “Hello Bartholomew. Thankyou so much for this, I really appreciate it! Say hello to Mr. Walker boys.” Said their mother.
“ Hellooo Miiissssttterrr Waaaaalllkkkeeerrr” they said, stretching it out so mother would stay longer. Michael added, “Thankyou for agreeing to look after us for these few days.” He desperately wanted that chocolate and was being extra-nice.
“Boys,it’s time for me to go now! Thanks again, Mr. Walker. Boys, get off me now! Dad and I going to miss our plane!” James and Michael were clinging on, as if for dear life, but as soon as she said that, Michael jumped off and dragged James with him. He thought he should make a good impression.
The two boys watched their mother and father drive off into the sunset while Mr. Walker stood by the door, but as soon as the car was out of sight, the boys were whisked off into the gloomy hallway of the house, much unlike the front yard, up the rickety stairs that could collapse any minute, and tossed into the attic where there lay two sleeping bags, no toys and where a dull grey paint sucked out any life and the boys lay confused and wondering what it was that brought them there and how they were going to get out.
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