Page 126 - My Home on the Earth

He jerked his head to listen. Someone was coming. Quietly, he turned the key in the door and glanced at the boarded-up window before lowering himself on the bed. Someone tapped on the door.
‘John, it’s Mum. I know you’re in there. Open the door. I’ve brought some food – come on, don’t be daft, open up. Where did this door knob come from? Listen to me ‒ open the door immediately!’
Not a chance, he thought, making sure the second key was in his pocket.
‘OK. Please yourself. But I’m not coming back again. You’ll starve,’ she taunted. ‘I’ll leave one trolley around the side and empty the rest on the ground. I’m not stopping.’ A few minutes later she called out: ‘I’m going now.’
John waited and dozed on his bed for a while. When he felt it was safe to go outside, he unlocked the door and peeped out. The trolley of food was there, but he still eyed his surroundings in case she was hiding from him. Grabbing the trolley, he shot back inside to empty it and went out again to fill it with the items she’d left on the ground. It would be useful for bringing stuff back from the market that the traders didn’t want.
Sorting through the contents, he was amazed at the variety of food. Wow! She’s gone overboard; must have raided her sister’s pantry. He picked up tins of Irish stew, sausages, and soup, a jar of jam, cheese, evaporated milk, cereals, biscuits and fruit bars. A bar of chocolate surprised him, as did a tin of red salmon and a pack of
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