Pleasantly Raising Cain

Sweet Dreams

This is a carry on from Death Bringer. Enjoy.

Stephanie Edgley awoke with a jolt. She sat up in bed and looked around her room. Her normal, quiet room. It was still dark, but when she looked out the window she could see the first rays of sunshine emerging.

She stretched and yawned and smiled. Time to get ready to meet Skulduggery at the pier.

She got to her feet and frowned. Had she gotten shorter? She shook her head and walked to the mirror before gasping in surprise.

She was shorter. She wasn't the same seventeen year old Valkyrie Cain that she had been the night before. What the hell?

Confused and a little freaked out, Stephanie touched the mirror, waiting for her reflection to step out. It never did.

"What?" She whispered. She was starting to panic now.

She started searching for her protective clothing, but couldn't find it anywhere. She couldn't even see her boots. It was as if everything had disappeared.

She took out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. Not one of her sorcerer friends numbers were on here.

"No, no, no, no, no," she whispered, panic in her voice. She ripped open her bedroom door and raced down the stairs. Her mum and dad were sitting at the kitchen table like they did every day. They both looked up and frowned.

"Morning Stephanie," they both said.

"You look worried," Melissa told her. "What's wrong?"

Stephanie looked around. Not even Alice was anywhere to be seen.

"Nothing. I'm going out for a little bit."

"You should get dressed first honey, you're still in your pyjamas," her dad pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, right."

Stephanie turned and sprinted back up the stairs. She slammed her bedroom door and leaned against it, breathing hard. This couldn't be happening.

"This isn't right," she whispered to herself before rummaging through the cupboards to find clothes.

When she was dressed she ran back down the stairs.

"Bye mum! Bye dad!" She called, and hurried out the front door. She went straight to the pier, but no one was there.

"Oh my god where is he?" She said. There was no Bentley and no Skulduggery. She looked around, but there were only mortals walking to work.

She ran all the way to Gordon's house and frowned. His car and boat were parked in the driveway, just like they had always been before he died.

She skipped up the steps and knocked three times. She didn't expect it when her uncle opened the door. She staggered backwards and almost fell off the porch.

"Stephanie?" Gordon asked. "What are you doing here?"

"You're.... You're alive?"

Gordon frowned. "Yes...."

"What is happening?!"

"Stephanie I think you need to come inside. You look sick."

Stephanie stumbled through the door and Gordon closed it after her. She sat down on the couch and her uncle sat next to her. She shook her head violently.

"This can't be happening," she mumbled. "It wasn't a dream! It wasn't!"

"What wasn't a dream?" Gordon asked tenderly.

"Him..."

"Who's 'him'?"

Stephanie took a deep breath. "Skulduggery Pleasant."

Gordon froze and then quickly regained his composure.

"What did you dream about? Who was Skulduggery Pleasant?"

Stephanie began to tell him the whole story. Gordon sat there and nodded. He did look interested in what she was saying. When she was done, Gordon was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Wow you had a pretty crazy dream Steph."

"I don't believe it was a dream."

"I don't blame you. You were a world breaker hey? That sounds like fun."

"Well not really. I kept it from everyone. Gordon I..."

"Yes?"

"I loved Skulduggery."

Gordon put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe you'll dream about him again."

"I hope so."

***********

Gordon paced in front of the TV while biting his nails nervously.

"Will you please stop?" A voice said from the couch. Gordon stopped moving.

"I'm sorry! Isn't Darquesse the one who you keep saying will destroy the world?!"

"That is correct."

"Stephanie is her. I can't believe it..."

"You need to calm down. She had a dream. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You were in it."

Skulduggery stopped talking and Gordon turned to face him.

"You were her partner. You taught her magic. YOU ARE LORD VILE."

Skulduggery was still silent. And when he spoke his voice was low.

"Keep her away from all this. Don't let her know the truth. By keeping it a secret from her we will avoid the drama with Darquesse fully. And I'm sorry about that, I've kept it a secret for so long. It's hard to process that a twelve year old girl has ratted me out."

"I forgive you, and your secret is safe with me. So you don't want her as a partner? Like in the dream?"

Skulduggery shook his head. "If I do that the whole world dies. No, keep her away from me. It's better for everyone that way."

"I'll keep her away for sure don't worry. I don't want her in this world just as much as you. But... Do I have your permission to turn her dream into a story?"

"Of course."

Gordon puffed out his chest and stood up taller.

"People will know me as the Golden God!" He exclaimed.

***********

Stephanie lay in bed that night, willing for the dream to return. But sadly, it never did.

She tossed and turned in her bed, unable to get comfortable, oblivious to the black Bentley parked outside, and the skeleton standing in the corner.