“Come on, lazy bones, it’s morning. Let’s go for a run. Come on!”

“Oh, go away, brat. It’s far too early to be getting so excited,” he replied sleepily. “You know that I don’t run so well, and I can’t walk very far these days either.”

“But... it’s sunny outside...”

I ran down the stairs at top speed, leaving old grumpy-guts Jake upstairs in his bed. 

My mum had always warned me about coming down so fast. “One of these days you’re going to fall coming down those steps like that, and what if I’m not here to help you up? Or, even worse, you could land on your head and really hurt yourself. Or you could break your neck and not be able to move. Or...”

“Yes, Mum. Okay. I promise I’ll slow down in future.”

Of course, I didn’t. Full speed was the only way to do things. The wind rushing through your hair as you hurried towards that ever-scary bottom step, where everybody’s shoes and wellies stood, waiting to trip you up in an instant. 

I reached the bottom, expertly skidding around the shoes. I was travelling so fast that my legs slipped slightly on the shiny floor, but I’d done this so many times that I was prepared. I used my momentum to keep me going while my legs found purchase on the floor, and headed through the foodroom, straight out of the door and into the garden. 

I knew that one of these days somebody might absent-mindedly shut that garden door, and I wouldn’t be able to stop in time, but that was a risk I was willing to take. 

Just for those first few minutes, where the damp morning grass cooled my feet and made me feel alive, ready for the day ahead. 

“Dylan!” shouted the woman. “Get back in here! Dylan!”

I knew I was in trouble. I stood my ground, staring at her as she stood in the doorway.

“Dyl... you get back in this house right now! Don’t make me come out there and drag you in.”

I backed away a couple of steps, laughing at her exasperated face. 

“Fine. Stay out there, then. You had your chance.”

With that, she slammed the door shut, and I saw her heading to the foodroom. **door leads from "foodroom** (kitchen) directly outside - if the woman is stood in the doorway calling him, she wouldn't be heading to the foodroom**