The Struggle

Chapter 7

The next day, after breakfast, l go off to do my work a little bit earlier. Today I have to hoover the basement and do some more dishes. This is Friday, the plan is taking place tonight and Chloe and I have everything sorted out. I am just turning off the tap when I hear the kitchen door creak open. I whip round due to reflex and spy a familiar looking girl tip-toeing in. "Hi, Madison. Look, I'm really really sorry about yesterday and the whole writing thing. I didn't know of your dyslexia..." Chloe apologises. "It's alright, Chloe, you couldn't have known. I'm sorry that I flipped out so much." The elegant figure steps towards me and pulls me in for a hug. "I should go," she exclaims, "I'm not supposed to be in here." "Ok, I'll see you in the basement soon. Get your sketchbook out and we'll go over the plan." My kind friend flashes a perfect set of white teeth and a thumbs up. Then I am left alone. I finish my job and dry my hands before skiving back downstairs. Luckily, Chloe and I are the only children back from their work so we could be more open and project our voices to our hearts' desire. Chloe scans through a few of our pages and recites, "ok, here us the plan; first we stay up after lights out and sneak to the kitchen and make the sandwiches for the journey and your sister. Then we steal the keys for the doors from Miss Abby's room, make our way out and meet Mackenzie back at your old house. From their we'll all more or less live together and look after her, is that right, Madison?" "Right. You and I will take care of Mackenzie until she is old enough to look after herself. This will be a struggle, but it'll be worth it. Thank you so much for coming with me and be willing to take care of my sister with me. It would be hard without some help," I thank. "No, thank you, Madison. If I hadn't met you, I would be forced to stay here. I'm glad to go with you, really." And with that, we turn the page of the book and each rip out a page to draw a picture. I sketch a picture of Chloe and Chloe sketches me. We put the date on the back; 13/4/1907 and sign our names on the back. Chloe sea to be very talented at art, and I even tell her that. "Aw, thank you so much, Madison! Your sketch is wonderful too!" I smile brightly, brighter than I ever have since the famine began. The clock swings round to 20:30, fifteen minutes before lights out. Everybody scrambles around to get changed for the night while my good friend and I do some more sketching as we got into our pyjamas early. Soon enough, the fifteen minutes passed and everyone was tucked up in bed. I stayed fully awake, just like the girl laid in the bed beside me. To make sure we didn't 'rest our eyes', the two of us agreed on whispering to each other quietly. "You know, Chloe," I coo, "I've always had a passion for dancing. Mackenzie and I used to use our basement as a dance studio. What do you like to do in your free time?" "Well, I've always sang in my spare time. I love when the melodies just fall from my tongue. It's the one thing that made me feel better when I was told I was being left here at the foster home." After some more little chats, it was time to start our plan. Once all of the residents and Miss Abby were sure to be sound asleep, Chloe and I climb out of our beds, trying not to wake anybody up. "Are you ready, Madison?" Chloe asks. "Yes, I'm ready. Are you ready, Chloe?" "Yes, I'm ready." Our little duo glides up the stairs and to the kitchen. Just as planned, we prepare about ten big sandwiches full of cheese, ham and tomatoes, finishing the packet of bread. "Mackenzie will be so happy that we brought food," I chirp. Chloe stuffs the food into her backpack which holds her sketchbook and pens. This is so exciting! Sneaking out is so fun! Now it is time to find the keys from Abby's room. We know that it is on the very top floor, so we clamber up the wooden, creaky stairs to the top. Chloe pushes open the large door gently and scans her unfamiliar surroundings. I spot they set of keys dangling from a pin on a little notice board on the desk in the corner of the massive room. I nudge Chloe's side and she drags her eyes to loo with mine as I point towards the notice board. Chloe slyly slips over to the messy desk and just when the keys were at her fingertips, there was a loud rustle! Chloe's leg brushed off the bin lying underneath the table and caused it to fall over. I glance over to the owner of the foster home who is now sitting up in her bed, angrily. "Chloe! What are you doing?!!" Abby screams, probably waking up the other kids downstairs. "Run, Madison!" Chloe yells just as Miss Abby leaps out of bed. Physically, I'm running for my life. Mentally, I am hiding under my bed at home. I can hear the keys jingling in Chloe's hands as we sprint and jump down the stairs. We reach the front door and she scrapes for the right key, jamming each one in the key hole once. Eventually we found the correct key and burst out of the door. Now? Now we were free.