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Chapter 1

Nightmares

She saw him again that night. A single entity surrounded by darkness, cloaked by the blackest night itself. Sky could just see under the hood, and what she saw made her open her mouth in a soundless scream: pale flesh with eyes stitched closed and rotten shark- like teeth. It was a force made entirely of terror.

The horrible thing opened its mouth as if to speak. Sky heard ragged breathing that froze her heart.

Then her eyes opened. She stared up at her bedroom ceiling, lit by the pale beginnings of dawn sifting through her window. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a dream! Though, admittedly, a dream she'd experienced a lot lately. Sky remembered hearing stories of similar dreams from her brother Luke. She wondered if this was anything like those... Best to ask Sarah Jane.

Sky lay awake until the sun had decently risen, too afraid to go back to sleep. Once she determined her adopted mother would be awake by now, she jumped out of bed and hurried downstairs in her pajamas.

Sarah Jane Smith was in the kitchen, sipping coffee next to her laptop, no doubt working on her latest article, even as early as it was. She beamed as Sky entered the room. "'Morning! Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"Not really," Sky admitted. She then proceeded to tell Sarah Jane all about the dream she'd been having, putting extra emphasis on the monster that haunted it. She noticed Sarah Jane's face grow steadily darker with every word, which told Sky she'd been right to be suspicious of the dream.

Sarah Jane abruptly stood up, as if the sound of Sky's words sent a charge through her. "Skye, the creature you just described sounds exactly like the Trickster!"

The name sparked something in Sky's memory. "You've talked about him before. He's an alien that's tried to use you to take over the world."

"Several times over," Sarah Jane added. "It concerns me that you're dreaming about him... Especially since the last time we faced him was before you were even born." She pondered for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. "Come on, let's go see Mr. Smith."

Sarah Jane and Sky rushed up to the attic. "Mr. Smith, I need you!" Sarah Jane called. The far wall opened up with a whoosh, revealing the super- computer hidden inside.

"How can I be of assistance, Sarah Jane?" the alien computer known as Mr. Smith asked.

"Sky has been experiencing strange dreams of late revolving around the Trickster," Sarah Jane explained. "I want you to run a brain scan on her, just to check that everything is okay."

Skye felt an electric surge surround her as Mr. Smith completed his reading. Her heart beat with fierce anxiety at the thought of what his diagnosis might be.

"Sky's brain is certainly in an unusual state, and not just because of her alien nature. There appears to be an excess amount of brain energy, like an extra layer."

Sky looked at her mother fearfully. "What does that mean?"

Sarah Jane stared at the computer. "Yes, Mr. Smith, what does that mean?"

"It means that if I am correct, there is another sentient being in Sky's head."

Sarah Jane put her arm around Sky's shoulder protectively. But Sky knew she couldn't protect her from the alien somehow in her mind. The Trickster.