The Toyminator Read Online Free PDF Page A

counter next to the golden-haired dolly. He wore a chef’s hat and jacket. And even to Eddie’s first glance, he wore them uncomfortably.
    “Eddie,” said Jack. “It
is
you. It is.”
    “It is,” said Eddie. “And it’s
you
.”
     
    The kitchen of Nadine’s Diner was grim. But then such kitchens are always grim. Such kitchens are places of heat and conflict, with shouting chefs and stress and panic and lots of washing-up. There was lots of washing-up to do in this particular kitchen.
    Eddie sat upon a grimy worktop surrounded by many unwashed pots and pans. A rat nibbled on something in a corner; a cockroach crossed the floor. Jack stepped on the cockroach and shooed away the rat.
    “That’s Barry,” Jack told Eddie. “He’s sort of a pet.”
    Eddie munched ruefully but gratefully on the burger Jack had fried for him.
    Jack leaned on the crowded sink and wiped his hands on a quite unspeakable dishcloth. “I thought you were dead,” he said.
    Eddie looked up from his munchings and wiped ketchup from his face with a greasy paw. He was very, very pleased to see his friend Jack.
    Jack smiled at Eddie and Eddie saw that Jack hadn’t changed: he was still tall and spare and lithe of limb and young and pleasing to behold.
    “I really thought you were dead. I heard what they did to you. I would have come to your rescue.”
    “Would you?” Eddie asked.
    “Well, no, actually,” said Jack. “Not at that particular time.”
    “What?” Eddie spat out some burger bun. Jack wiped it from his apron.
    “You weren’t exactly in my good books at that particular time,” said Jack. “You’re not exactly in them now.”
    “Eh?” said Eddie.
    “Edict Five,” said Jack, “the one about abolishing the monarchy.
Your
Edict Five. And me an honorary prince. Did you forget that?”
    “I thought you’d gone off to the other world. The world of men. That’s where you told me you were going. To sort out the clockwork President.”
    “Well,” said Jack, and he made an embarrassed face, “I
was
going to go, but the Toymaker
had
given me a castle to live in, and there
was
Jill …” Jack’s voice trailed off.
    “I heard about Jill,” said Eddie, packing further burger into his mouth. “I’m sorry about that.”
    “There’s no trusting women,” said Jack. “At least I’ve learned that whilst still young.”
    “Don’t be too cynical,” said Eddie. “I know she hurt you, but that doesn’t mean that all women are bad. You’ll find the right one, and when you do she will make you happy every single day.”
    “Yeah, right,” said Jack. “But let’s talk about you, Eddie. I
am
glad that you’re alive, truly I am, but your –”
    “Hands?” said Eddie. “Eyes? The Toymaker took them away. He said that he blamed himself for what happened. That you shouldn’t tamper with nature, which was pretty hypocritical coming from him, as he created me. He said I should go and do what I was created for.”
    “And you’re not keen?” Jack took up another cloth to wipe his hands upon, as the first cloth had made them ever dirtier.
    “Was I ever?” Eddie asked. “I am a bear of superior intellect. I am a special bear.”
    “You are certainly that.”
    “Jack,” said Eddie, “how would you feel about teaming up again? The old team, you and me, back in business together.”
    “The old team?” Jack laughed and his laughter was not pleasing to Eddie’s ears, especially to the one with the special tag in it. “The old team? How many times did I come close to being killed?”
    Eddie shrugged.
    “Nine times,” said Jack. “I counted.”
    “You enjoyed the adventure. And we saved the city.”
    “Yes, and I’d still be living grandly if it hadn’t been for you fouling it up with your Edict Five.”
    “I was just trying to make things right.”
    “You’re a very well-intentioned little bear.”
    “Don’t patronise me, Jack. Never patronise me.”
    Jack shook his head. “You’re unbelievable,” he