Page 127 - My Home on the Earth

squashed toilet rolls. One cut loaf would last him a week. Two gas canisters, wrapped in brown paper, sat at the bottom with clean clothes and an unexpected gift of a new jumper.
If he was to survive alone, he’d have to restrict his eating habits from today and make the gas and food last longer. The weather was getting warmer in the daytime and he imagined working on the market. The market stall holders are forever asking someone to fetch and carry. Perhaps one will take pity on me, if I smarten up a bit. If I’m lucky, I might be able to get my food from the market. If not, I could always try breaking into a house or a small shop, he thought. The idea scared him, but all he needed was soap and washing liquid for his clothes.
With the food stacked away, he set to and prepared to screw the bolt and hasp on the door. Thank goodness I kept the screws, he thought, although the floors in the factory are littered with them.
Feeling peckish, he made a hot chocolate drink and opened the tin of sausages. Half he placed in the saucepan to heat up. The other half would do for his supper. Afterwards, he went outside, locked the door, looked around and hurried through a shortcut to the main gate. As usual, Heath Road was empty and he strode into town. There were odd times when he wanted to be stopped by a policeman, to be questioned why he wasn’t in school. But so far, it hadn’t happened. John was a regular at the bus station, but no one took any notice of him as he searched for dropped bus cards. Leaving the town centre, he strolled
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