DS3 (8, ASD, speech and language delay, LD, special school - you get the picture) was off school with a temperature today. Seeing as he is normally on the go, running, bouncing on the furniture, climbing up shelves, bannisters etc. all the time, we knew he wasn't well because he didn't get up in the morning, and has spent most of the day quietly playing in the bedroom. I was due to go to uni, but as DH had some deadlines, he was working in the small office upstairs, and I was covering downstairs.
So at about 3.30, my phone rang in another room, and I got up to go and get it. And the back door to the kitchen was wide open, key in the lock. We keep all our keys on us 24 hours a day, as no matter where we find them, DS3 finds them. He has escaped before and run into the garden and houses of neighbours, and once got as far as a garage at the end of the road. But not since we put a keycode lock on the front door.
So of course, I ran outside, calling out his name, (no shoes) and got round to the front of the house, before DH had come out the front of the house, and overtook me to go down to the garage. DS2 was still in the house (10, also has ASD and in a special school, but no SALD, just LD)
A woman passing by said she'd seen him in the garage, and tried to catch him, but he was too quick. Another chap said DS3 had run into his home and they'd tried to talk to him, and then he'd run out and run down the road, so he must have been gone for a good few minutes. I came back, got DS2 to put his shoes on, got some myself, and we were heading down the garden path when DH returned carrying DS4, who had managed to get in and out of the garage, stolen a chocolate bar, and then had run to some traffic lights further down the A-road - we think he was heading to the park.
Obviously I was out of my mind with worry, angry at myself for leaving the keys on the side, and upset, (still am). But I win on the Shit Mother front today, don't I?