Nowhere Boys Read Online Free PDF Page A

pocket. ‘I’ve got to go,’ he said. He didn’t really care if his phone was broken. He just wanted to get home.
    ‘We can’t just separate! We’ve had a bonding experience. How about a man hug?’ said Andy hopefully.
    ‘In your dreams, nerd,’ said Jake. ‘I’m outta here too. Have a good life, losers,’ he called, walking away.
    Sam clapped Andy on the back. ‘Sorry, brainiac, I’m starving.’ He turned to Felix. ‘See ya, goth dude.’
    ‘I’ll see you at school,’ said Felix to Andy.
    Felix walked away fast. He had to get home. He started to jog. He couldn’t wait to see his family. He couldn’t wait to see if it had worked.
    He reached his house and ran up the drive. There was Oscar sitting on the lawn playing with his remote-control helicopter. That was good. Whatever had taken him to hospital yesterday mustn’t have been too serious. He jogged towards him. ‘Hey, Oscie.’
    Oscar looked up.
    ‘How was the hospital?’ asked Felix.
    ‘What hospital?’ Oscar got to his feet.
    Felix stared at him and felt a surge of indescribable happiness. ‘You can walk!’
    Oscar looked at him strangely. ‘Of course I can walk.’
    ‘Oscar, that’s amazing.’ Felix couldn’t stop smiling.
    ‘How do you know my name?’
    Felix’s grin faded from his face.
    ‘Who are you?’ asked Oscar.

jake: o mother where art thou?
    Jake sprinted through the streets of Bremin, desperate to get home. His mum would be out of her mind with worry. Last night the Bremin Bandicoots had played in the semifinal and they’d planned to go. It was their yearly ritual: pack a picnic, blankets and a thermos and cheer until their voices were hoarse. They’d done it every year since Jake could remember. Once, when he was really little, his dad had gone along with them. That was before they broke up. Before his dad had become an unemployed slob.
    Jake shook his head. He couldn’t think about that now.
    He pulled his phone out as he ran. He had to call his mum and let her know he was okay. Still nothing. Bummer. It must’ve got water damaged. He shoved the phone back in his pocket.
    He hoped that loser real estate agent Phil hadn’t come back while he was gone. Real estate agents would have to be the lowest form of life – always pressuring people for money and driving round in their fancy cars like they were more important than God. It wasn’t his mum’s fault they were behind with the rent. It was so unfair that his mum, who worked double shifts at Scaly Jim’s fish-and-chip shop just to make ends meet, got harassed – while his dad, who never paid child support, got off scot-free.
    Jake reached his street. There was his house. He’d never been happier to see it, even though it was kind of a dump. Some idiot had thought it was a good idea to cover the weatherboards with fake plastic bricks. Now they were peeling off, making the house look like it had a severe case of sunburn. But hey, it was home.
    Jake pulled out his key, which was miraculously still in his pocket. He stuck it in the front lock. Didn’t fit.
    Huh?
    He jiggled the key around. Still no luck.
    ‘Mum!’ he called out.
    No answer.
    Jake peered in the window. A massive Harley-Davidson took up most of the hallway. Where had that come from?
    Jake went around the side of the house. The lounge room window was open. He hoicked himself up and pulled himself through.
    His jaw dropped in astonishment. What had his mum done? Where were the green velvet couches she’d been saying she was going to re-cover for ten years? Where was the sideboard with her dolphin collection proudly displayed? Where were the photos of his football wins? His grandma’s old clock with the too-loud chime? All gone. Instead, the floor was covered with old sheets. Wrenches and spanners lay on the sheets along with pizza boxes and a brand-new TV just out of its packaging.
    There must be an explanation.
    Then he realised: Phil had evicted them. In the short time Jake had been gone, Phil