Chapter 1
Sarah Jane Smith sat at her computer inside her attic doing some research about some old case files that have gone unsolved. It was a quiet day and she looked forward to when her fifteen year old son, Luke, would come home from school, along with his friends, Rani and Clyde.
Today was Friday and they had plans this weekend to go on a camping trip. Rani's parents were going to be out of town as well and so Rani was the one who suggested that they do something different. Luke has never been camping before and Clyde couldn't wait to teach him everything there was to know about surviving in the great outsides. Both Rani and Clyde had packed their bags and brought them over to Sarah Jane's the night before so that they would be ready to leave after school.
Sarah Jane grew tired of looking at her computer screen and decided to go down into the kitchen to make some chocolate chip cookies for the kids when they came in. School was finally let out and they soon walked through the door.
"Hello, Luke," Sarah Jane spoke first as she leaned down to kiss the top of her son's head. "How was your last day of school?"
"There was a new student in my mathematics class today," Luke replied. "Something about him was odd. He looked at me strangely. Like he knew that I was different. I don't know, maybe I was just imagining it all. I'm good. How about you, Mum? Are you all right?"
"I am bored," she answered as she gave Luke a hug. "I was only going over old cases. It has been a quiet day. I am so glad that you are home; all of you. I made us some cookies to eat before we leave. I cannot wait to gather around a warm camp fire and tell ghost stories."
Luke asked, "How do we tell stories about ghosts? We haven't come across any yet."
Clyde laughed as he responded, "Ghost stories are just scary stories that we make up for fun, Luke. They are not meant to be real."
Luke asked again, "Is it funny to scare each other?"
"Only when it is done in fun," Rani said. "Telling ghosts stories is a camping tradition. Children love it."
"Have each of you finished packing everything that you will need," asked Sarah Jane? "There will be no turning back once we leave."
Luke said, "I have a few more things to pack before we go. I will be upstairs."
Luke left the room and Sarah Jane could definitely see that something was troubling him. She knew now that if something was bothering her son, that there was more to it than just a bad feeling. She's known this ever since Luke had his first nightmare about Mrs. Wormwood coming back.
She asked, "Clyde, Rani, have either of you noticed something strange about this new boy in school? Should I be worried?"
Clyde answered, "He didn't seem strange to me, but I wasn't really paying much attention to him. I was too busy staring at Abbey Kingsford. She is so beautiful and smart."
"Then she won't want anything to do with you," Rani replied.
"Ha! Ha! Very funny," Clyde said. "You are a riot!"
Rani looked at Sarah Jane and said, "I'm sorry, Sarah Jane. I didn't notice anything strange about this new guy either. I didn't see much of him. As Luke said, I am sure it is just his imagination. Do you think we should be worried?"
Sarah Jane answered, "I don't know. Ever since Luke dreamt about Mrs. Wormwood and she came back, I feel that it might be important to listen to his intuition. It may be nothing.
"Don't worry, Sarah Jane," Clyde said. "We will keep our eye on him; Rani and me. No one will harm our boy, Luke."
"Thank you, Clyde," Sarah Jane answered. "I am going to go talk to him. Enjoy the cookies and milk."
Sarah Jane walked up stairs to her son's room and before she went inside, she looked through the open door and watched as Luke was starring out of his window, instead of packing for their trip. Something was obviously bothering him.
She walked in and asked, "Luke, are you really all right? What is wrong? You can tell me. Is it still the new boy in school?"
Luke answered, "No, not really. I mean, it is. I don't know how to explain it. There is something strange about him and I don't understand it. I don't feel good when I am around him."
"Everyone gets weird looks from people from time to time," she responded. "I do too. However, I have learned not to let it bother me so much. In time, you will be able to do the same."
"You're right, Mum," Luke said. "I am almost finished packing. I just need to grab a few more things. I will be down in a minute."
Sarah Jane gave her son a reassuring hug and walked back downstairs. She went to her room to finish packing herself. Then, she walked up to the attic to make sure that Mr. Smith was caught up to speed with their trip and that their communication device was working properly. Afterward, she walked out to find Luke, Clyde, and Rani laughing as they finished up the last of her cookies and the milk she put on the table. She smiled as she joined them.
No one noticed an unfamiliar face watching them from outside the house. A twisted smile came upon the face, as he looked forward to following through with his orders given to him by his superiors; to capture the boy known as Luke Smith.
