"Yeah, okay, I'm never going to get you off like this," she muttered. This fever dream was the kind of thing that prevented her from doing what she did best, and it was time to get rid of it. When Mike's mother moved to give chase, Lily grabbed the dream figure by its throat and pinned it against the wall.

The dream being howled and slashed at her with its claws, and Lily yawned. Typical nightmare, all bark and no bite. She grabbed the woman's head with both hands and made a ripping motion.

Mike's mother collapsed into a two-dimensional figure that tore like paper. Lily folded the remnants in...