The Nightmare Man

by BBC

  Bang! He opened his eyes. He looked down at the plate of food, confused. Had he been asleep? He looked back up towards where everyone was dancing and frowned. Everything had changed. Everything was suddenly sinister. The music had changed. It had become dark, distorted, quiet and spooky. And his friends had changed. They were dancing, but so slowly. Their movements were all strange and jerky, as if they were puppets on strings rather than people. Luke pushed through them and approached Clyde and Rani. They had their backs to him.

  ‘Clyde?’ he said. ‘Rani?’

  They turned around and Luke jumped back. They had big, terrifying grins on their faces. Their eyes were dark, as if they were possessed. As he jumped back, he felt himself hitting something. He turned around.

  A tall, dark figure was standing there, looking down at the floor. Luke looked at him, confused. Then he saw the man’s hands. They were pale and white and one of them held a blood-red flower.

  Luke backed away as the man looked up. His face was painted white, like his hands. His hair was weird and spiky. His eyes were dark and black tears were flowing from them. He was a big man who towered over Luke. And he was smiling.

  ‘Hello, Luke.’

  Luke gagged. The man’s breath was horrible. It smelled of death and decay. The man looked over Luke’s shoulder at Clyde and Rani.

  ‘They’ll all be my children soon.’

  ‘Who are you?’ asked Luke, trying to hide his fear.

  ‘I’m the Nightmare Man,’ the man replied. ‘And you belong to me.’

  Luke shook his head. ‘But, but, what are you doing here? You’re in the real world!’

  The Nightmare Man turned and nodded towards the table of food. Luke looked over and saw himself, sitting there, fast asleep.

  ‘I’ve got to wake up!’ he whispered.

  ‘I’ll let you. This time,’ replied the Nightmare Man. ‘Oh, but you won’t tell anyone about me, will you?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I’m not asking you, I’m telling you,’ he continued. ‘Your dreams are giving me such power. Power over you, Luke.’

  Suddenly, the Nightmare Man reached up and touched Luke’s face. The boy flinched as the cold, white hand brushed against his cheek. He tried to move, but he couldn’t. He stared up at the Nightmare Man with wide, terrified eyes.

  ‘You can’t say my name. You can’t tell anyone about me. I’m in your head, Luke. You’re mine. And your dreams are going to get so much worse and give me so much power and… oh, your fear is delicious!’

  And he grabbed Luke’s arm and suddenly Luke…

  Woke up. He looked around and everything had returned to normal. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. Clyde and Rani, noticing his look of confusion, came over.

  ‘Oi, oi, you been asleep?’ asked Clyde.

  ‘I dunno,’ Luke replied. He smiled, not wanting to freak out his friends.

  Rani, though, could see that Luke wanted to talk. ‘Oh, is that more cake?’

  ‘Ooh, where?’ asked Clyde, running off.

  ‘Did you have another nightmare?’ asked Rani.

  ‘Yeah,’ Luke replied. ‘There was this...’

  He tried to say the words. He tried to tell her about the man. The Nightmare Man. But he couldn’t! He kept trying to say the words but they stuck in his throat, choking him! He gasped.

  ‘I can’t say it, Rani,’ he whispered. ‘I can’t!’

  ‘You’re really scared, aren’t you?’ she replied, her voice full of concern. ‘Listen, it’s just a nightmare because you’re stressed out about Friday. You’re going to be okay.’

  ‘But…’ began Luke.

  Rani grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. ‘Come on. Let’s show Clyde how it’s done.’

  Tired, scared and embarrassed, Luke smiled weakly as they danced.

  Chapter Nine

  Time for bed…

  The rest of the party had gone well, but Luke was so tired and so scared that he’d had to leave early. When he’d got in, he’d tried to tell Sarah Jane about what had happened – but again, he’d been unable to say the words ‘Nightmare Man’. Like Rani, his mum had just thought he was scared because he was having nightmares. But Luke knew there was more to it than that.

  He was lying in bed, sending an email to his old friend Maria Jackson. Maria had been the first human being he’d ever seen. She had rescued him from the Bane and introduced him to Sarah Jane. She used to live on Bannerman Road in what was now Rani’s house. A few years before, she and her dad had moved to Washington in America. They still spoke once or twice a week.

  Maria used to help Sarah Jane rescue lost aliens and now she was doing the same in America. If nobody else could help him, Luke knew that Maria would. He was halfway through typing the email.

  “There was a creature and he called himself the...”

  He moved his hand to type the letter N, but something stopped him. He stared in horror as his hand refused to move! As tears welled up in his eyes, he heard the Nightmare Man’s voice echoing in his mind.

  ‘You can’t say my name. You can’t tell anyone about me. I’m in your head, Luke. You’re mine.’

  He couldn’t even type the creature’s name! He lay there, trying to think of some way he could tell someone, anyone, about what was happening to him when, again, echoing in his mind, he heard the Nightmare Man’s voice. He was humming a lullaby. Luke recognised it as the world’s most famous lullaby by the German composer Johannes Brahms. Luke started to panic, feeling the lullaby surrounding him. He could feel it making him sleepy, but he didn’t want to go to sleep. He didn’t want to meet the Nightmare Man again. But there was nothing he could do. The Nightmare Man’s lullaby made his eyes slowly close and…

  He was in the attic. Alone. Still in his pyjamas.

  ‘Hello?’ he called out, quietly.

  The door was flung open and Sarah Jane, Clyde and Rani entered. With them was a young boy. He looked to be about 12 or 13 and he was small, with dark hair and a pleasant, open face. Like everyone when they first entered the attic, he was looking around in shock and wonder. Clyde stepped forward and called out.

  ‘Mr Smith,’ he said dramatically. ‘I need you!’

  The boy’s eyes widened even more as, with his usual fanfare, Mr Smith appeared.

  ‘Mum?’ said Luke. It was like they couldn’t see or hear him. ‘Anyone?’

  ‘What do you think, Josh?’ asked Sarah Jane. ‘Do you like it?’

  The boy, Josh, nodded.

  ‘Aw, he’s so sweet,’ said Rani.

  ‘He’s my new baby boy!’ said Sarah Jane.

  ‘Sarah Jane,’ said Mr Smith. ‘I’m receiving a call from Luke.’

  Sarah Jane just grinned and hugged Josh. ‘Oh, take a message. I’ve got Josh now.’

  Luke stared at them. He knew it wasn’t true. He knew it was just a nightmare, but it was so horrible. He just wanted it to stop.

  ‘Aw, have they forgotten about you already?’

  Luke heard the Nightmare Man’s voice. Then he spun around as he felt the cold, dead hand grabbing his shoulder and –

  Suddenly, they were outside! It was pitch black, except for a bonfire that was burning in the middle of the garden. Luke walked over to it. He realised he was still in his pyjamas, but he wasn’t cold. This meant that this wasn’t real. Logically, there was no need to be frightened or upset because this wasn’t real. After all, what else could the Nightmare Man show him? Nothing could be worse than what he’d already seen.

  He saw Clyde and Rani approaching. Both had their arms full but Luke couldn’t see what they were carrying. Then, the light from the fire showed him. They were carrying his stuff. His schoolwork. His photos. Even his quilt and pillows. Everything that belonged to him.

  And they started to throw it on to the fire. Luke stared, heartbroken, as the photos melted and his schoolwork burned. Rani then revealed his old teddy bear. The one his mum had given to him even though he was already too old for it. Rani smiled and threw i
t on the fire. Then she turned to look at Clyde.

  ‘You getting rid of that as well?’

  Luke stared, horrified, as Clyde revealed a drawing of him and Luke. It was one of the first pieces of art Clyde had ever shown the others. It meant so much to all of them.

  ‘Yeah,’ Clyde shrugged. ‘It’s all over, isn’t it?

  And slowly and deliberately, he tore the picture up and threw the bits on the fire.

  ‘Please,’ whispered Luke. ‘Stop this…’

  But it wasn’t over yet. He watched as Sarah Jane and Josh left the house and joined them at the fire. She was carrying a photograph in a frame. It was of her and Luke. Both of them were grinning at the camera. They didn’t just look like mother and son. They looked like friends. Best friends.

  ‘Bye, Luke,’ she said, her voice so cold.

  And she threw the photograph onto the fire. Luke watched, tears in his eyes, as the glass cracked and the frame started to burn. The photograph began to bubble and melt.

  Then, holding her hands out, Sarah Jane led the others back into the house. Luke was left, standing there, watching his life burn.

  Suddenly, he sensed something cold and evil. He shivered.

  ‘What are you?’ he asked, without looking up. He knew that the Nightmare Man was standing on the other side of the fire.

  ‘I’m in every nightmare. Always behind you. Feeding on your fear.’

  Luke finally tore his eyes away from the fire. He looked up at the Nightmare Man. Through the smoke he could see the creature’s face. It was smiling. This made Luke so angry.

  ‘What do you want? Why are you doing this to me?’

  ‘Because of your mind! Because of how the Bane made you! You’ve so much potential, Luke.’

  Luke moved around the fire and started to advance towards the Nightmare Man. He was just a bully and Luke had stood up to bullies before.

  ‘But what do you want?’ he shouted.

  ‘Life. Your nightmares, your fear, they’re giving me such power. One more little nightmare from you, and I’ll be in your world.’

  Luke stopped and stared up at him. He was still smiling. The flames from the fire were reflected on his rotting teeth.

  ‘You can’t!’

  The Nightmare Man took a step towards Luke, towering over him.

  ‘I’ll send everyone into an eternal sleep. A whole world of nightmares for me to feast upon. And I’ll just get stronger and stronger and oh, it’s going to be so good.’ He started to giggle. ‘And it’s all because of you, Lukey.’

  Luke was really freaked out now, but he was determined not to let this thing destroy him.

  ‘Where are you from?’

  The Nightmare Man stopped laughing. He looked surprised at the question.

  ‘What planet are you from?’ demanded Luke.

  The Nightmare Man looked down at him and sneered. ‘I’m from nowhere. I’m from everywhere. Under the bed. In your wardrobe. Hiding in the shadows.’ Then he whispered. ‘I’m a monster.’

  Luke shook his head. ‘I don’t believe in monsters. You’re just an alien and I’ve stopped aliens before.’

  ‘But wouldn’t it be terrifying if I was so much more than that?’

  Luke backed away. He knew that the creature was just an alien. He had to be. Luke didn’t believe in ghosts or demons or anything like that. There had to be a rational explanation.

  ‘Get ready for the end of the world, Luke.’ The Nightmare Man reached out and stroked Luke’s cheek. He smiled as he continued. ‘An eternal sleep of nightmares and it’s all your fault.’

  Luke woke up. And he lay there in bed. With the light on. And he started to cry.

  Chapter Ten

  Thursday

  The next day, Luke went downstairs and met his mum in the living room.

  ‘Morning,’ she said, cheerfully.

  ‘I had another dream,’ he replied.

  Sarah Jane frowned. She hated seeing her son so upset. ‘What happened?’

  ‘I...I can’t say.’

  She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug. ‘You’re scared. It’s just your mind playing tricks on you.’

  Luke took a deep breath then stepped back. ‘What if I wasn’t leaving home? Would that stop it?’

  She stared at him, her heart breaking. ‘Oh, Luke, I’d love to say yes. I’d love to say “don’t go, stay here”, but I can’t. You can’t not do something because you’re scared.’

  ‘It’s more than that!’

  ‘I’m sure it feels like that, but it isn’t,’ she replied, gently. ‘I’ve had nightmares about you going. I bet Clyde and Rani have as well. You know how much we’re going to miss you but...sometimes, you have to be brave. And you’re so brave and so clever. Trust me. The nightmares will stop.’

  He nodded, unable to speak.

  ‘Now, come on,’ she said with a smile. ‘Everyone’s coming round later, so you’ve got to finish packing!’

  Luke nodded and left the living room.

  Sarah Jane sat down and tried to stay calm. She needed to be strong for Luke. Of course he was scared. She remembered when she had first left home and how terrified she’d been. But he needed to do it. Everything would be all right in the end.

  Luke’s last day on Bannerman Road went by really quickly. He finished packing and both he and Sarah Jane had a little cry as they stood in his bedroom, surrounded by boxes. Then they cheered themselves up by getting the house ready for his party.

  ‘Two parties in one week,’ she said, as they blew up balloons. ‘Don’t ever think you’re not going to be missed!’

  And the party was truly fantastic. Everyone was there. Clyde and his mum, Carla. Rani and her parents, Gita and Haresh. Sarah Jane’s oldest friend, Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart and his wife, Doris. Professor Celeste Rivers and Toby from the Pharos Institute. Lucy Skinner and her dad from the Tycho Project. Martha Smith-Jones and her husband, Mickey. All people Luke had been through so much with. Maria and her dad sent a holographic message over from America so it was like they were there as well. It really was the greatest party ever.

  But Luke wasn’t enjoying it. He was so tired and so scared. People tried to ask him what was wrong, but he couldn’t say, so they just assumed he was overwhelmed by the party and scared about leaving.

  Like all good parties, it eventually came to an end and by 11 p.m., it was just Sarah Jane, Clyde, Rani and Luke. The gang. Rani had been filming the party on her digital camera and now she was pointing the camera at Luke and Clyde.

  ‘Here’s to Luke’s last night on Bannerman Road,’ she said.

  Luke smiled weakly into the camera.

  ‘You all right, mate?’ asked Clyde.

  ‘You’d tell us if something was wrong, yeah?’ said Rani.

  ‘You’re going to be fine,’ said Sarah Jane. ‘This time tomorrow, you’re going to be in a mad, new, exciting place.’ She went over and took the camera from Rani. ‘Come on, all of you together.’

  Rani joined the two boys and she and Clyde pulled faces.

  ‘Aw, nice smiles!’ said Sarah Jane.

  Clyde and Rani smiled properly and Luke tried to, but he just felt so overwhelmed by everything.

  ‘It’s going to be brilliant,’ Rani was still babbling.

  ‘He’ll forget about us!’ said Clyde, laughing. ‘I’m telling you!’

  Everyone was laughing. Except for Luke. He was just thinking about the Nightmare Man. The creature’s voice kept echoing in his mind.

  ‘One more little nightmare from you, and I’ll be in your world.’

  He needed to find a way to stop him. But how could he when he couldn’t even tell anyone about him?

  Later…

  Luke was sitting on his bed. Clyde and Rani were on beanbags on the floor. Empty crisp packets and chocolate bar wrappers were scattered around them. Clyde had fallen asleep and Rani was filming him.

  She yawned. ‘You’ll let me visit you in Oxford, won’t you?’

  �
�Of course I will,’ Luke replied.

  Rani smiled and yawned again. She snuggled deeper into the beanbag.

  ‘Don’t go to sleep.’ Luke’s voice was barely a whisper. ‘Please.’

  ‘I’m not,’ Rani muttered. ‘I’m just resting my eyes.’

  But, as Luke watched, she fell asleep. He was alone. He looked over at the clock as the display changed to 00:00. It was midnight. It was Friday. Today was the day he was meant to be leaving home. But he knew…he knew he wasn’t going to university. He knew that the Nightmare Man was waiting for him and that he was going to come to get his friends and his mum and everyone.

  And then Luke looked down at Rani. She was still holding the digital camera. He stared at the camera, an idea forming in his mind…

  Chapter Eleven

  Luke’s message

  ‘Our world has always been full of nightmares. Creatures and aliens who want to destroy us. But we’ve always been protected. The Doctor. His friends. My mum. But tonight I don’t think anyone can save us.’

  Up in the attic, Luke had settled down on the sofa. He was holding the digital camera in front of him. The Nightmare Man had said that Luke couldn’t tell anyone about him. Well, talking to a camera wasn’t telling anyone. It was just a machine.

  Luke stared into the camera and continued talking. He told it about how the nightmares had begun. He spoke of what the Nightmare Man had told him. He told the camera everything. And as he was doing this, he heard the distant humming of Brahms’ Lullaby. The Nightmare Man was getting closer. He wanted Luke to fall asleep. Luke knew that if he did, the Nightmare Man would escape.

  ‘So, that’s what happened. That’s why I’m up here now, trying so hard to stay awake.’

  ‘But you can’t. I’m coming, Luke. It’s time to go to sleep...’

  ‘No...please...’ Luke begged. But he could already feel his eyes closing.

  ‘Sweet dreams,’ whispered the Nightmare Man.

  Finally, Luke’s eyes closed. For a moment, there was silence. Then, suddenly, Luke’s body started to convulse! His mouth fell open and what looked like black smoke started to pour out of him. The smoke was alive and it writhed around the attic before finally merging into a man-sized shape. There was a loud rumble of thunder as the smoke cleared and there, in the attic, appeared the Nightmare Man. Tall and pale and evil. He looked at his hands, as if seeing them for the first time.