Through The Storm Read Online Free

adult than at home. At home, Nick always led them into trouble
and got yelled at with the rest of them when they were caught.
Here, it felt more like, if anyone was in trouble, Nick would be
leading them out. Kind of comforting if you were maybe a bit
homesick, David thought, and then looked round, furtively, in case
anyone had read his mind. Of course he wasn’t homesick, after all
he’d only just got here. Dumping his stuff on a bed well away from
the arrogant Patrick, he asked, “Can we go anywhere?”
    “Anywhere in
the grounds or houses, except the kitchen. They’ll be cooking in
there so it’s not safe”, Nick replied, “And you wouldn’t look good
wearing a roast chicken”
    “Is it not safe
because of burning hot oil scalding us?” Jack asked.
    “Because of
their tempers if you got in the way,” Jerry said with a grin, “They
have a synchronised system of movement which miraculously creates
twenty dinners or so all at exactly the right moment. If the
tiniest thing gets in the way, the result is total motorway pile
up”.
    “Just like
home”, the bouncy blond boy said, chucking a pair of hiking boots
under the bed by the door and stuffing his rucksack into his
locker. ”Come on. Let’s go and explore.”
    They left
Arthur methodically folding his clothes into his locker, and
Patrick pressing buttons on his phone while sprawled flat on his
bed, and clattered downstairs, Dean in the lead. The place was
amazing. One room had a massive TV and loads of sprawly armchairs
and cushions. Then there was a room with games and a pool table and
some computer terminals with a huge notice saying “DON’T HOG!”
There was even a pinball machine. Then along the corridor, passed
the dining room and clattering steamy kitchen, they found a door
and were soon outside and venturing into the gardens.
    ”Let’s find the
maze”, David suggested.
    “Hey, yeah”
Jack agreed.
    They bounded
down some steps, startling the girls who all seemed to be sitting
together on some benches on a tiny patio.
    “Boys” the
redhead said as they raced by. Some of the other girls giggled.
    “I suppose we
will be able to get back out before tea?” Dean said doubtfully as
they reached the entrance. “I’m starving. Mum forgot to put any
cake in my lunch box. Have you noticed how sandwiches never fill
you up?”
    Jack looked at
his watch. “We’ve got nearly an hour yet. It can’t be that
difficult. Look. We’ll set my timer for twenty minutes, and if
we’re not in, we’ll give up and head out. OK?”
    “That’s if
we’re not totally lost by then”, added Ross helpfully, while Jack
fiddled with his watch and got the timer set and running.
    “Come on,” came
David’s voice from behind the hedge. “You’re wasting time”.
    They followed
him in. The maze was a good one and led the boys in quite a few
circles, and to millions of dead ends, but at nineteen minutes and
fourteen seconds, they arrived at a pond with “SUCCESS” emblazoned
across a wooden bridge straddling the water lilies and, just across
the bridge was a map showing how to get out.
    “Huh. Just keep
turning second left”, Jack said pointing the route out. They were
out in five minutes.
    “Dead easy”,
Jack said.
    “How about a
quick look at the tennis courts and then tea?” David suggested.
    They sprinted
after him, and before long were seated in the dining room, tucking
into chicken pie and beans with chocolate sponge to follow.
    “This place is
the tops,” Dean said spooning in his third helpings of sponge. Even
Patrick seemed to be enjoying the food. Gradually the noise of
clattering spoons came to an end as even the biggest appetites were
satisfied. Owen’s voice quietened them all.
    “OK, people.
Dishes to the hatch in a line please and I will tell you where
you’re helping out to tidy up as you pass me. Remember, no job
swapping allowed”.
    Jack was handed
a wet cloth, “Tables” Owen said. David was awarded a broom.
“Corridors” he