The Summer Hideaway

Published by: eXtasy Books

ISBN :978-1-4874-0281-5

Page :84

Word Count :23591

Publication Date :2015-01-27

Series : The Adventures of Big Chook#1

Heat Level :

Available Formats : The Summer Hideaway (pdf) , The Summer Hideaway (prc) , The Summer Hideaway (epub) , The Summer Hideaway (mobi)

Category : Young Adult , (YA) Contemporary

Product Code: 978-1-4874-0281-5

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Four boys, a girl, and a cubbyhouse. What could go wrong?

It’s holiday time and Big Chook races to join his friends. Wally, Three Parts Pete, Handsome Harry, and the newcomer to their group, a fiery young girl called Kirstin. The five head into the nearby bush land and begin their journey for the valley creek area called Archie’s, where Wally found a great spot to build a cubby house. It’s well hidden and overlooks Archie’s valley and the creek below.

The Adventures of Big Chook is a rattling good adventure. The comedy comes from the situations and relationships, as four ordinary boys compete to impress one girl, and extract the maximum drama from their last few weeks of vacation freedom.

It was summer, and the Christmas holidays had come at long last. Thirteen-year-old Big Chook ran for the front door as fast as he could, jumping and dodging all sorts of obstacles, such as his baby sister’s three wheel trike and his dad’s famous La-Z-Boy leather armchair. Once he’d been told the armchair was older than his grandma.

Hmmm, he pondered the thought, not so sure how much truth was in that story. It definitely looked older then her. He chuckled at the thought.

“Where do you think you’re rushing off to?” his mother called, as he placed his hand on the door knob that would set him free from his prison.

Funny, that. His dad had lectured him the other day about referring to his home as a prison. He claimed it was unhealthy and demeaning to his mother.

Hey, why is it that parents always have to lecture you when you do something wrong? Why can’t they just say, ‘Look here sonny Jim, you stuffed up, okay. Now don’t do it again,’? In my case, thought Big Chook, it would save them a hell of a lot of time, I tell ya.

His mum had long brunette hair worn up in a piggy tail. Today she wore her favourite knee length slacks and ‘don’t mess with the boss’ t-shirt. She had already put the Christmas decorations up and just loved this time of year.

Big Chook turned round. “Mum! I’ve already told you this earlier! Wally is meeting me outside the pub!”

“Don’t raise your voice at me young man. Do I have to have another talk with your father?” his mum snapped. She shoved another spoonful of baby food into his sister’s already over-stuffed mouth. “You know I don’t like you going near the pub. It’s not a place for children.”

Big Chook’s shoulders dropped, followed closely by his eyes and head.

“Mum, I’m really sorry,” he began, kicking at nothing in particular on the ground. He tried to sound sincere, but knew this wasn’t going to be good enough for his mother. “Besides, we’re meeting in the gully away from the pub.”

“Hmm, doesn’t sound to me like you mean it.”

Big Chook’s head shot up in pretended disbelief at her response. His mouth dropped wide open, with eyes just as wide, adding to the melodramatic style.

“But!” she exclaimed on seeing his bad performance. “I’ll accept your apology, for now. I would like to know why you’re in such a rush?”

“I just promised Wally I wouldn’t be late this time,” he replied, stepping casually toward her. He recognized all she really wanted the whole time was for him to give her a kiss before leaving.

His mum was very sentimental when it came to things like this, not like his dad. Dad was as far from a hugs and kisses man as Big Chook was from liking girls. Though...he was starting to like a girl called Kirstin.

That doesn’t really count, he thought with a shrug of his shoulders, as he strode down the front stairs of his parents’ two storey house. She wasn’t like any girl he’d ever known before. She was much tougher. She could dish it out as good as she could take it and by it, he meant punishment. Yet never once had he heard her complain or whine about how unfair the guys were toward her. She was positively one of the boys. The only way you could tell her apart was the fact she was so pretty.

Kirstin had shoulder length dark blonde hair and wondrous light blue eyes, which got brighter when the sun shone on them. She was confident and got along with just about anyone who wanted to be friends.

Big Chook dashed over the old wooden bridge, the only way over the small creek that split the acre of land that was his home. There was a large ten-stall racing complex at the back of the home on one side of the creek, and four extremely large horse yards on the opposite side. This was the side he had just crossed onto.

While his thoughts continued to run steadily, Big Chook’s dash rapidly turned to a steady jog, as the effort from his initial exertion took effect. Yeah, he definitely liked Kirstin a lot, but he wasn’t going to admit it to anyone, especially the guys.

And by the guys, he meant his three best friends.