Free The Nightmare Man by Joseph Lidster Page A

you were jealous of me.’
    He looked at her and waited for her to deny it. There was a pause. Then she took a deep breath.
    ‘I am.’
    Luke looked shocked. ‘What?’
    ‘Of course I’m jealous. You’re doing everything I want to do, but don’t for one minute think I’m not pleased for you.’ Suddenly she hugged him. ‘I couldn’t be happier.’
    And Luke hugged her back.
    Upstairs, in the attic, two other friends were saying goodbye to each other. Well, they denied being friends, but everyone knew the truth, really.
    ‘Goodbye, Mr Smith,’ said K-9.
    ‘Goodbye, K-9,’ said Mr Smith.
    There was a pause before K-9 continued. ‘You were adequate company.’
    K-9 then turned to leave. He trundled towards the door.
    ‘K-9,’ said Mr Smith, suddenly.
    K-9 stopped. ‘Yes, Mr Smith?’
    ‘You could always contact me. If you need to.’
    If K-9 could smile, he would have had the biggest grin in the world on his face. ‘I knew you would miss me,’ he replied.
    K-9 trundled out of the room.
    ‘Stupid dog,’ said Mr Smith. He would miss K-9 really, though.
    Outside the attic, K-9 paused then, quietly, said to himself, ‘I will miss you too, Mr Smith.’
    Luke was standing next to the car. Clyde was standing a few metres away. They were looking at each other.
    ‘You’re going to call me, yeah?’ said Clyde. ‘When you get there?’
    ‘Of course I will,’ Luke replied.
    ‘And you’ll drive safely. And…’ Clyde trailed off. He was no longer able to hide how he was feeling. It was obvious that he was really upset.
    ‘I’m going to be fine,’ said Luke, also fighting back tears.
    ‘Just don’t forget me, will you?’ said Clyde. ‘Whatever you go and do, don’t forget me. I’m your best mate. Always.’
    Luke grinned. ‘Super alien brain, remember.’ He tapped the side of his head. ‘I don’t forget anything.’
    The two boys hugged as Sarah Jane came outside. She was carrying K-9. Rani also came out and she helped Sarah Jane put K-9 in the car. They wrapped a seatbelt around him and left the window open. Then they moved round to join Clyde and Luke. Clyde moved back and then, noticing a nod from Rani, moved further back still. Sarah Jane and Luke looked at each other.
    ‘This is it, then,’ she said. ‘Start of a brand new life. New friends, new adventures, new everything.’
    ‘Yeah,’ said Luke. ‘I can’t believe it’s happening. Today.’
    She hugged him. ‘I love you.’
    Then she let him go and Luke got into his car. He wound the window down.
    ‘Bye, everyone!’ said Luke, starting the engine.
    They all followed the car as he drove out onto the road. Luke turned to K-9. ‘You ready, K-9?’
    ‘Affirmative, Master,’ the metal dog replied.
    Luke took a deep breath, grinned and turned to face the road. ‘Let’s see what’s out there!’
    And he turned right, onto Bannerman Road and then onto the road out of Ealing.
    Sarah Jane, Rani and Clyde didn’t stop waving until he was out of sight. Then, both happy and sad at the same time, they turned to go back into 13, Bannerman Road – ready for whatever adventures were still to come.

Epilogue
    Somewhere else…
    Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock…
    The Nightmare Man stared up at the clock. He’d already tried to break it, but it was indestructible. The sinister, elderly Sarah Jane Smith had just giggled at his frustration. She was talking about Luke. She’d been talking about Luke ever since those kids had trapped him in there. It was driving him mad!
    ‘Because the thing about my Luke is that he never gave up. Never. He was always so brave. He found school difficult but he still went and he managed to turn it into something he loved. He was so upset when Maria Jackson left, but he moved on. They stayed in touch.’ Sarah Jane took the Nightmare Man’s hand again. ‘Because family and friendship, it never ends. No matter where you are.’
    He pulled his hand away and started hammering on the doors again.
    ‘Of course, a