The Nightmare Man Read Free Page B

doorway as a hand slowly reached through. It was pale and white and, like the corridor, it looked wrong. It felt wrong. A shiver ran down Luke’s spine and, as he watched, the hand moved back into the void before reappearing – this time holding a blood-red flower.
    Luke started to really panic and he turned back to beg the others for help, but they’d gone. As he started to call out for them, the three doors they’d come through slammed shut.
    Luke turned back to the open door. The hand pulled back into the darkness and disappeared. Suddenly, with a loud bang, that door slammed shut as well. Then, slowly, a white, demonic face began to appear in the door’s red paintwork and Luke screamed and…
    He woke up.
    He quickly reached over and switched on his bedside lamp. And, staring up at the ceiling, Luke waited for the morning.

Chapter Seven
    Wednesday
    Sarah Jane was sitting in the attic, reading a copy of the local paper. And, sitting next to her, so was K-9.
    ‘Can I turn the page?’ she asked her robot dog.
    ‘Affirmative,’ he replied. So she turned the page.
    As they continued to read, Sarah Jane noticed Luke standing in the doorway.
    ‘Morning,’ she said. ‘How long have you been standing there?’
    He smiled weakly at her and she suddenly noticed how pale and tired he looked. He looked sick, but Luke didn’t get sick. She jumped up and put her hands on his arms.
    ‘What is it, Luke?’
    ‘I didn’t get much sleep,’ he said quietly. ‘I had a nightmare.’
    Panic immediately flashed across Sarah Jane’s face.
    ‘I had one on Monday night as well,’ Luke continued.
    Sarah Jane sprung into life, striding back into the room and standing in front of one of the walls.
    ‘Mr Smith, I need you!’
    A fanfare sounded and smoke filled the room, as the wall opened and Mr Smith appeared. While this was happening, Luke moved into the room, joining his mum.
    ‘Mum,’ he said. ‘I’m sure it’s nothing. I’m just a bit scared about Friday.’
    ‘How can I help you, Sarah Jane?’ asked Mr Smith.
    ‘Scan Luke,’ she replied. ‘He’s been having dreams.’
    Mr Smith knew how serious that was. ‘I thought Luke didn’t dream!’
    ‘That’s why I’m asking you to scan him,’ replied Sarah Jane with a sigh.
    ‘Do you require everything to be pointed out to you, Mr Smith?’ asked K-9 with a superior tone.
    The two alien computers didn’t get on, but now really wasn’t the time for their silliness. Sarah Jane glared down at K-9 and he lowered his head.
    A beam of light shot out of Mr Smith and started to scan Luke. A computer image of the boy appeared on Mr Smith’s screen.
    ‘Luke’s anxiety levels are increased, which is to be expected, but I can’t detect any abnormalities.’
    ‘So, I’m fine?’ asked Luke.
    ‘Perhaps I should get someone else to look you over?’ said Sarah Jane, taking his hand.
    She wasn’t sure who she would ask. They’d always kept Luke away from doctors in case they worked out that he’d been made by aliens. She had a friend who called himself the Doctor, but he could be on the other side of the galaxy for all she knew. She wasn’t even sure if he was alive. The last time she’d seen him, there’d been something wrong. It had been as if he knew something bad was going to happen.
    She had another friend who was a doctor. Martha Smith-Jones had also travelled with the Doctor at one point and she and Sarah Jane occasionally met up for coffee. Martha knew all about Luke and all about aliens. Sarah Jane pulled out her mobile, ready to call her, when Luke reached out and stopped her.
    ‘Mum, I’m fine. Mr Smith says I’m fine.’ He grinned. ‘I’m a big boy now.’
    Sarah Jane looked at him. Was she over-reacting? Mr Smith had said that Luke was fine. And Luke was saying that he was fine. And if she trusted him to leave home and go off to university, then perhaps she should trust him with this.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ she said before grinning. ‘Oh, how am I