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Astred was helping Sarah-Jane interview the mother of one of her classmates and friend who had gone missing three days prior. "This is Lance." Mrs Metcalf said as she handed a photo of Lance over to Sarah-Jane.
"Oh, thank you, Mrs Metcalf." Sarah-Jane said as she took the photograph, and sat down on a red plastic chair.
"I can't begin to imagine what the last three days have been like. Are you coping?" Sarah-Jane asked Mrs Metcalf.
"I keep thinking my head's going to break. That's what it feels like. I'm on edge every minute, thinking that he'll walk up the path or the police will come and tell me..." Mrs Metcalf answered, "Children do turn up safe and sound. There's every chance. Someone may have seen something important without knowing it. My story might make them realise that and come forward." Sarah-Jane told her.
"I hope so." Mrs Metcalf said.
"Has anything like this ever happened before? If I'm not speaking out of turn, but has he ever run away after an argument or...?" Astred asked.
"We never argue. Me and Lance, we've only got each other now. We know that life's too short for rowing." Mrs Metcalf said as she glanced over to a photograph on Lance's bedside table, of a man in a tan t-shirt and camo trousers.
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry." Sarah-Jane said.
"Well, perhaps you could tell us what happened on Saturday." Sarah-Jane told the woman.
"Nothing happened. Only Lance never came back. He was going out to meet his friend Brandon. They were going down the arcade. He lives for video games. Only Brandon never saw him on Saturday. Lance never showed up. He just vanished into thin air. Help me get my boy back, Miss Smith. Please." Mrs Metcalf cried.
『• • • ✎ • • •』
Astred was sat in Sarah-Jane's attic watching Clyde mess around with Maria's new bag, "Do you mind?" Sarah-Jane told him.
"Sorry, Sarah-Jane." Clyde said.
"Clyde was just bugging around with Maria's bag." Luke told his mum, Astred raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you mean mucking?"
"I'm sorry?" Sarah-Jane asked him.
"I was 'mucking' around. Or 'messing.' You know, messing around? You've got to listen to the words. They're important in slang. You can't improvise." Clyde told Luke.
"Sorry, we'll get out of your way." Maria told Sarah-Jane.
"No, wait. We've just been to see the mother of that boy who went missing, your friend Lance Metcalf. What do you know about him?" Sarah-Jane asked.
