Nightmares and Shadows (Star Wars Rebels)

Book 2 in the Starcrossed Series

Book 1: A Light in the Darkness
Book 3: Blaster Shards

"Ezra Bridger, you and I both know that you're not just tired," Evelyn told him with folded arms.

"Don't you go all Hera on me," Ezra complained.

"All Hera on you?" Evelyn repeated. "Why are you going all Zeb on me?"

"I'm not! I just want to be left alone, ok?"

Evelyn stood up, a frosty look in her eyes. She walked over to the door before pausing.

"When you're ready to tell the truth, you know where to find me," she said without glancing back. The door closed behind her.

"Nice going," a voice said from beside Ezra. He didn't want to look at the speaker. He already knew what he would find. But he did it anyway.

Leaning against the wall was a human figure. He looked exactly like Ezra himself, with several key differences. The "other" Ezra had longer hair. His nails were longer and sharper. His eyes had yellow irises instead of blue. He wore a red shirt and black pants.

"See? Just like I told you," 'Other' Ezra said. "This is how it starts."

Ezra lay down on his bed and closed his eyes. He tried to tune out the figure, but it didn't do any good. It was as if he was speaking directly into his mind.

"Do it while there's still time," he said. "I can teach you how. I can help you."

"You're not real," Ezra told it. It laughed.

"Oh, I'm not real huh? Then how can I do this?" it asked. Ezra opened his eyes as horrible screeching filled his ears. He was in time to see 'Other' Ezra pull his hand away from the wall. Several deep scratched has been clawed into the metal wall.

"I told you," 'Other' Ezra continued, "that's how it starts. And before you know it, you'll be killing them."