Chapter 1
Readers
are introduced to Rory and his Granda as they wait for Dr Nicol in the waiting
room. The doctor is concerned that Rory is too young to take care of his grandfather.
However, Rory is aware that there are only two of them in the family.
Chapter 2
Granda
has a failing memory; always misplacing things. Rory has the sole responsibility
of taking care of Granda like buying him his lunch every day.
Chapter 3
Rory
sacrifices some of the things he likes for Granda. He gives up football so that
he can be at home with his Granda. Rory’s worry is that if Granda is put into
Rachnadar, they would be separated. Rory’s dad had left them many years ago and
Granda is very disappointed with his son, not wanting to see him again.
Chapter 4
Granda
is very popular with Rory’s friends and meets Mrs. Foley for the first time.
Granda accidentally sets fire to his and Mrs. Foley’s coats at the school’s Parents’
Night.
Chapter 5
Val
Jessup, a social worker is assigned to take care of Granda and Rory. Darren’s
mum and Mrs. Foley are both worried for Rory and are glad of the extra help
they were going to receive. However, Granda has a little accident in the flat
and is taken to the hospital.
Chapter 6
Granda
has suffered from smoke inhalation and has to be hospitalised. Rory pleads to the
Big Man to make Granda wake up. Val Jessup is nervous to let Rory live in the
flat alone and drives him to the children’s home at Castle Street.
Chapter 7
Rory
goes to the home because he has no choice and he thinks that it will be for
only one night – till his granda is out of the hospital. Tess, a young inmate
of the home, terrifies Rory with her bad behaviour.
Chapter 8
Granda
admits that he had forgotten that the chip pan was on the stove, hence the fire
in the flat. He tries to appease Rory by saying that he would get better soon.
However, he is upset that his grandson is in the Castle Street home.
Chapter 9
Although
Rory loves his grandfather, he is slightly annoyed with him as well because of
the accident; he had landed himself in the hospital because of that and now
Rory is in a children’s home. Rory goes back to the flat with Val and collects
Granda’s medication. There, Rory realises that he wants to return home. Granda
feels the same too.
Chapter 10
Rory
is given the idea that Mrs Foley might foster Rory. Rory goes to the hospital
to find that Granda is not there anymore.
Chapter 11
Granda
has been shifted to Rachnadar. Val Jessup tells Rory that he is just a boy and
that he cannot take care of Granda anymore.
Chapter 12
Granda
is very upset to be sent to the home and it breaks Rory’s heart to see him cry.
At Castle Street, Rory fights with Tess. Rory becomes exasperated when Granda
retreats further and further into a shell while at Rachnadar and at school, the
idea of being fostered by Mrs Foley worries him. Life is certainly unpleasant
in Castle Street when Tess becomes increasingly uncontrollable. Rory decides
that the only way is to run away with Granda.
Chapter 13
The
Great Escape. Darren offers the use of
his mom’s caravan and Rory plans the escape with great detail. Granda relies on
Rory to get out of Rachnadar.
Chapter 14
Granda
is like a little boy, allowing him to be led; safe in the knowledge that Rory
would look after him. He is happy to be in the caravan and decides that he is
indeed a lucky man to deserve a boy like Rory. Rory has done all of this so that they could be
together. He realises that he would never let anyone separate them.
Chapter 15
Happy
in the caravan, Granda recovers his old self.
Chapter 16
While
fishing, they meet strangers and Granda is prejudiced when he calls them
“tinkers”. As Granda’s health improves
and both of them are happy, Darren sends Rory a text message saying that the
authorities are after them.
Chapter 17
Rory
prepares Granda for another move away from the police but as they move through
the woods, the strangers whom they had met the day before, reach out and help
them.
Chapter 18
Rory
has no choice and allows them to lead. They are taken to an older caravan camp
and Rory meets Tyrone and his family. Tyrone’s mom responds that they had
helped them because it was Rory that they had wanted to help.
Chapter 19
They
are taken care of well in Sammy’s camp. While there, they realise that they are
the top story on the Scottish news as a boy and his grandfather on the run.
Apparently, the authorities are worried about Granda whose health is a real
concern. Granda decides that he would rather die of cold and hunger as long as
he is free.
Chapter 20
Granda
and Rory are worried that Sammy would get into trouble by helping them. But
Sammy insists that he did not kidnap them and that they are not escaped
convicts. Rory learns never to be judgemental of people.
Chapter 21
The
runaways enjoy the birthday party in Sammy’s brother’s place. Ruby reads Rory’s
future and predicts that he would meet people who would help him; some of whom
he would not be able to trust. He would certainly find what he is looking for
but would face a terrible sadness before that.
Chapter 22
The
public has mixed responses over Rory and Granda’s running away. Ruby indicates
that people are taking sides about them, arguing about the rights and wrongs of
their case. Rory realises that they would have to be on the move again. Sammy suggests
that he drives them to Dundee so that they can take a train to Glasgow to be
with family friends who would provide them with shelter and time to think.
Chapter23
In
the train, Rory realises that they have been recognised and alights at an
earlier station. When Granda goes to the toilet, Rory is bullied by a young man
who recognises him. Granda beats the latter with a bottle and decides that he
will steal a car to escape.
Chapter 24
Granda
seems an expert at stealing cars and his driving scares Rory. They stop at the
lay by to have some rest.
Chapter 25
The
runaways meet Rab when they stop to buy petrol. He offers them help.
Chapter 26
Rab
says that he wants to help them because Rory and Granda are not criminals. He
allows them the use of his flat and seems kind and concerned. Though pale and
tired, Granda says that he is alright as long as he is with Rory. Rory prays
for help because he realises he needs someone to help him. Again TV newsflashes
show that the public is very much on their side and Rory gets to know that his
Granda’s son, his father, has been traced to Liverpool.
Chapter 27
The
television news states that neither Rory nor his grandfather have attempted to
contact Jeff McIntosh in Liverpool. Rab encourages Rory to take his grandfather
to his son.
Chapter 28
Rab
has a grand idea to make sure that they get to Liverpool. A whole line of
people are going to take them to Rory’s dad and Granda comments that the world
is indeed wonderful after having experienced so much kindness.
Chapter 29
Annie
drives them into England and leaves them with Norma and Nicola. The latter
admires Rory for what he has done. Granda agrees but his mood changes when he
finds out that they are going to his son in Liverpool.
Chapter 30
Granda
refuses to go and for the first time Rory is frustrated. He had hoped that his
father would take over the responsibility of Granda but Granda thinks that it
would hurt Rory too much if his father would leave them again. Rory begins to
hate his father and Granda consoles him by saying that they have never needed
him and that they do not need him now. Nicola rings up to tell Rory that the
police are coming and that they would have to move on.
Chapter 31
It
is the second escape; both of them run out into the dark. Granda is tired and
they both stop to rest and eventually sleep off at a stone bus shelter. Prior
to that Granda says that if he was to die, he would as a happy man. On
awakening, Rory is not able to awaken his grandfather and is afraid that he may
be dead.
Chapter 32
Rory
runs for help and remembers Ruby’s prophecy about the terrible sadness. Help comes immediately and the police
introduce him to his father.
Chapter 33
Granda
is not dead. He is hospitalised and recovers eventually. Rory is reunited with
his dad and his family. He has two little sisters who endear themselves to
Granda. His dad asks to be given another chance to prove that he can be a good
dad and a good son again. Rory has found what he was looking for and realises
that if anything happens to his Granda he will not be alone again. He is
thankful to all who have helped them on their journey. He is very happy that
he, Granda and his family are together again.
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