Matthew and the Chimney Sweeps: Book One (Completed, Editing)

Chapter Fifteen: Down the Hill We Go

  Matthew sat on the deck of the Harrower and stared at the seagull standing motionless on the railing. It was a beautiful morning. The early sun glistened off the water, the sky was filled with an array of colors and puffy white clouds glided slowly toward the north.

  Looking out at the vast ocean, he thought about his family. He missed them dearly and wondered what they would think of him living on a half-sunken boat and becoming a chimney sweep. He then thought about his new family and how lucky he was to have them. He hoped Julia, Trevor and the other children from Bordash Manor would be a part of it some day, and sooner rather than later.

  Thirsty, he went back inside the cabin. Everyone was still a sleep. He walked over to the wood stove, embers still glowing from the fire the night before. He threw a few logs inside and watched them catch alight. He then filled a pot with water, placed it on top of the stove, and went to the cupboard, getting out his ration of powdered strawberry milk. They had traded a pair of shoes for a bag of the stuff with BPPG. Back at the pot, he stirred a spoonful of the mix into the water and waited until he saw the first bit of steam to rise, taking the pot off immediately.

  Matthew couldn't be bothered putting the warm milk into a mug and just brought the pot over to the table. He took a sip from it. Delicious.

  'Chloe will have a fit if she sees you drinking from that,' said a whispering voice. It was Norman. He jumped out of bed. 'Let me guess, you didn't feel like pouring whatever you made into something more suitable.'

  Matthew smiled. 'What's the point of putting it into something else? You'd just have to clean two things instead of one.'

  'My thoughts exactly,' yawned Norman. He went over to the rain barrel, filled a cup with water and sat down with Matthew. 'I remember telling Chloe the exact same thing once. She replied by saying –' he then mimicked Chloe's voice to a tee '– We may be poor and orphaned and live on the streets but that doesn't mean we have to be slobs.'

  The two of them tried really hard not to chuckle too loudly.

  'What did you make anyway?'

  'Strawberry milk . . . I warmed it up.'

  'Lucky. I had the last of my ration yesterday.'

  'You can have some of mine if you want.'

  'Nah, it's all right, but thanks. So, are you nervous about the race?'

  'A bit,' lied Matthew. He was a bit more nervous than a bit.

  'Me too.'

  'Really?'

  'Oh, yeah. I always get nervous before a race. It's good to be nervous. It gets the blood going.'

  'What are you two jabbering about?' John was awake.

  'We're talking about you,' Norman said with a grin.

  Walking over to the table, John replied, 'And how I'm so amazing?' He looked into Matthew's pot.  'Oooh. I think I may join you.' He went off to make his own strawberry milk.

  'So what time do you guys usually start making your way over to Maple Hill Park?' asked Matthew.

  'As soon as it gets dark,' replied John.

  'I thought the races start at midnight,' said Matthew.

  'They do,' said Norman.

  'Why so early then?'