x
I was standing outside taking a drag from a cigarette when a car came into the parking lot, and since I didn’t have any other appointments today but this one, I knew exactly who it was. When Kendall got out, she looked up at me, her golden eyes glassy.335Please respect copyright.PENANAviZFYj2RD3
335Please respect copyright.PENANAwLW3Lr02tG
I watched Christian take her hand and they walked toward me. For a split second I was envious of this teenage romance, but I was glad she had something stable in her life. Though I’d barely talked to Kendall for more than a few minutes, I knew she was troubled.335Please respect copyright.PENANACdD50YYXzI
335Please respect copyright.PENANAJW3LcBb8Ap
Then she got that phone call in my office and everything changed. I had met John Monroe once or twice in my life, but I liked him, and I’m sure Kendall did too. Now that he was gone, and I was here to help her, I wondered if—335Please respect copyright.PENANA61cOxI996e
335Please respect copyright.PENANAJgxrdIANS5
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”335Please respect copyright.PENANArHtIJ5W0nW
335Please respect copyright.PENANA0jBTaLUjdC
I looked at her face and saw how drained of color it was. She looked like she hadn’t slept in a few days, as well, because of the dark circles under her eyes. I frowned and dropped the cigarette onto the ground, stomping it out with the heel of my shoe.335Please respect copyright.PENANAlJs1tUq3KY
335Please respect copyright.PENANAWEoHGFlFpS
“I didn’t know you smoked,” was all she said to me before she looked at Christian. “You can come in or wait, if you want.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAWEh9fgYuZs
335Please respect copyright.PENANAeRV4p3FkZW
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAO24tMCiHcc
335Please respect copyright.PENANAoZULoqlr5h
I saw Kendall bristle at his use of her last name. I didn’t understand her reaction, but I didn’t gauge it either. Instead I said to Christian, “You can do whatever you’d like. If she feels comfortable enough for you to sit in, I think it would be okay.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAQqxMsRY1a4
335Please respect copyright.PENANAHoEwVZc7nB
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.335Please respect copyright.PENANApp7nBuiiUK
335Please respect copyright.PENANAe88RlEPrxp
As I turned around to head into the building, I heard her say something quietly to him. She told him that he was free to leave if he couldn’t handle this. Whether it was to leave the session or her, I wasn’t sure.335Please respect copyright.PENANAbO4gKNhKgQ
335Please respect copyright.PENANA362nUuXT14
The door shut behind me and I turned to see Kendall staring around at the waiting room like she’d never seen it before. I didn’t say anything. I took out of keys and unlocked my office door, standing aside so they could come in.335Please respect copyright.PENANASQ8VaNxI1s
335Please respect copyright.PENANAievOiXYTWE
Christian took a seat on the couch and whistled softly. “That’s a lot of awards,” he said, smiling, as he admired all of the plaques on the wall.335Please respect copyright.PENANAzrNbKp0196
335Please respect copyright.PENANAoScsz6BRuq
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”335Please respect copyright.PENANA7n6g9yxDTH
335Please respect copyright.PENANAl9Ao2vmkiC
Kendall sat in the chair across from my desk. She didn’t look at anyone, just straight ahead at the empty chair. When she started to shake, I came forward and touched her shoulder. She lifted her head, her eyes filled with tears.335Please respect copyright.PENANAhNd5FPEjed
335Please respect copyright.PENANATNIQyHUzSq
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”335Please respect copyright.PENANARn70qWmDf9
335Please respect copyright.PENANAQXquD7OWhk
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.335Please respect copyright.PENANAaXCIt0r1o8
335Please respect copyright.PENANAbr4thYiJnX
Christian stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. He leaned his head down toward her ear and said, “You’ve got to tell her about the dreams.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAiirpDUUsDz
335Please respect copyright.PENANA6nvZb6At9T
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”335Please respect copyright.PENANAS2zCwxJOaP
335Please respect copyright.PENANAgFEqTxXWdv
Kendall opened her eyes. They were clear and sharp and deep golden. She exhaled slowly and muttered softly, “I have these dreams where I’ve done awful things. I’ve killed people, Dr. Alder, in my dreams. I’ve killed them and they’re all dying around me for real. First John Monroe, then Cassie Winters.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAUSRIi4ncEJ
335Please respect copyright.PENANA5OfWQgrLzd
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.335Please respect copyright.PENANA5iShcluhA6
335Please respect copyright.PENANACeoQhMX7x7
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAwrywnFtSZT
335Please respect copyright.PENANAnENdvj32up
He didn’t say how she died, which I was thankful for. I didn’t know if he was sparing the details for my sake or Kendall’s. My guess was both.335Please respect copyright.PENANArm17qSHOki
335Please respect copyright.PENANA9owvqcXdW7
“Kendall,” I said, “you can’t possibly think you’re capable of taking a human life, do you? They’re only dreams. They’re not real.”335Please respect copyright.PENANACXBOyXpIav
335Please respect copyright.PENANAsOZ4joMd0N
“Then what is going on?” she hissed. She put her hands on her face and brought her knees to her chest. “What’s wrong with me?” she mumbled.335Please respect copyright.PENANAVaIRyEeHWf
335Please respect copyright.PENANAR0YcsZGq8r
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”335Please respect copyright.PENANAsf6xizsGXR
335Please respect copyright.PENANAF0ENakT1hn
“Okay,” she said.335Please respect copyright.PENANAlQW6B6bHNG
335Please respect copyright.PENANAowbtpLDwXM
“Do you want to tell me about when the dreams started?” I asked, standing and taking a seat at my desk. I grabbed a notepad and a pen and leaned back in the chair.335Please respect copyright.PENANAiWlthBcXvn
335Please respect copyright.PENANAb3AIpJeh1N
“It’s been a few months,” Kendall said, looking at me. She dropped her legs so they hit the floor. “I didn’t understand the first one and I hate labeling them as a nightmare. I don’t want people to think I’m crazy.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAEijiDOJSZA
335Please respect copyright.PENANAMXlyZe8jch
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”335Please respect copyright.PENANATwCb5JMQeQ
335Please respect copyright.PENANAyBVtY4QC7w
“I don’t either,” Christian said, squeezing her hand. He looked at me and smiled from behind Kendall. Then he gazed down at her. “You’ve always been the one with the wild imagination.”335Please respect copyright.PENANARbGminEhwP
335Please respect copyright.PENANAHBgRFpecDi
“It’s more than that,” Kendall said quietly. She was becoming more comfortable, which was good. “If I didn’t do this, if I didn’t kill anyone, then that means one thing.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAPXb0QDlAmR
335Please respect copyright.PENANAeBM7xdJJuU
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.335Please respect copyright.PENANAYWsVlLfDoe
335Please respect copyright.PENANAyXMyYxLcp8
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAckmnFi7UOf
335Please respect copyright.PENANAwLW3Lr02tG
I watched Christian take her hand and they walked toward me. For a split second I was envious of this teenage romance, but I was glad she had something stable in her life. Though I’d barely talked to Kendall for more than a few minutes, I knew she was troubled.335Please respect copyright.PENANACdD50YYXzI
335Please respect copyright.PENANAJW3LcBb8Ap
Then she got that phone call in my office and everything changed. I had met John Monroe once or twice in my life, but I liked him, and I’m sure Kendall did too. Now that he was gone, and I was here to help her, I wondered if—335Please respect copyright.PENANA61cOxI996e
335Please respect copyright.PENANAJgxrdIANS5
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”335Please respect copyright.PENANArHtIJ5W0nW
335Please respect copyright.PENANA0jBTaLUjdC
I looked at her face and saw how drained of color it was. She looked like she hadn’t slept in a few days, as well, because of the dark circles under her eyes. I frowned and dropped the cigarette onto the ground, stomping it out with the heel of my shoe.335Please respect copyright.PENANAlJs1tUq3KY
335Please respect copyright.PENANAWEoHGFlFpS
“I didn’t know you smoked,” was all she said to me before she looked at Christian. “You can come in or wait, if you want.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAWEh9fgYuZs
335Please respect copyright.PENANAeRV4p3FkZW
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAO24tMCiHcc
335Please respect copyright.PENANAoZULoqlr5h
I saw Kendall bristle at his use of her last name. I didn’t understand her reaction, but I didn’t gauge it either. Instead I said to Christian, “You can do whatever you’d like. If she feels comfortable enough for you to sit in, I think it would be okay.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAQqxMsRY1a4
335Please respect copyright.PENANAHoEwVZc7nB
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.335Please respect copyright.PENANApp7nBuiiUK
335Please respect copyright.PENANAe88RlEPrxp
As I turned around to head into the building, I heard her say something quietly to him. She told him that he was free to leave if he couldn’t handle this. Whether it was to leave the session or her, I wasn’t sure.335Please respect copyright.PENANAbO4gKNhKgQ
335Please respect copyright.PENANA362nUuXT14
The door shut behind me and I turned to see Kendall staring around at the waiting room like she’d never seen it before. I didn’t say anything. I took out of keys and unlocked my office door, standing aside so they could come in.335Please respect copyright.PENANASQ8VaNxI1s
335Please respect copyright.PENANAievOiXYTWE
Christian took a seat on the couch and whistled softly. “That’s a lot of awards,” he said, smiling, as he admired all of the plaques on the wall.335Please respect copyright.PENANAzrNbKp0196
335Please respect copyright.PENANAoScsz6BRuq
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”335Please respect copyright.PENANA7n6g9yxDTH
335Please respect copyright.PENANAl9Ao2vmkiC
Kendall sat in the chair across from my desk. She didn’t look at anyone, just straight ahead at the empty chair. When she started to shake, I came forward and touched her shoulder. She lifted her head, her eyes filled with tears.335Please respect copyright.PENANAhNd5FPEjed
335Please respect copyright.PENANATNIQyHUzSq
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”335Please respect copyright.PENANARn70qWmDf9
335Please respect copyright.PENANAQXquD7OWhk
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.335Please respect copyright.PENANAaXCIt0r1o8
335Please respect copyright.PENANAbr4thYiJnX
Christian stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. He leaned his head down toward her ear and said, “You’ve got to tell her about the dreams.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAiirpDUUsDz
335Please respect copyright.PENANA6nvZb6At9T
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”335Please respect copyright.PENANAS2zCwxJOaP
335Please respect copyright.PENANAgFEqTxXWdv
Kendall opened her eyes. They were clear and sharp and deep golden. She exhaled slowly and muttered softly, “I have these dreams where I’ve done awful things. I’ve killed people, Dr. Alder, in my dreams. I’ve killed them and they’re all dying around me for real. First John Monroe, then Cassie Winters.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAUSRIi4ncEJ
335Please respect copyright.PENANA5OfWQgrLzd
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.335Please respect copyright.PENANA5iShcluhA6
335Please respect copyright.PENANACeoQhMX7x7
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAwrywnFtSZT
335Please respect copyright.PENANAnENdvj32up
He didn’t say how she died, which I was thankful for. I didn’t know if he was sparing the details for my sake or Kendall’s. My guess was both.335Please respect copyright.PENANArm17qSHOki
335Please respect copyright.PENANA9owvqcXdW7
“Kendall,” I said, “you can’t possibly think you’re capable of taking a human life, do you? They’re only dreams. They’re not real.”335Please respect copyright.PENANACXBOyXpIav
335Please respect copyright.PENANAsOZ4joMd0N
“Then what is going on?” she hissed. She put her hands on her face and brought her knees to her chest. “What’s wrong with me?” she mumbled.335Please respect copyright.PENANAVaIRyEeHWf
335Please respect copyright.PENANAR0YcsZGq8r
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”335Please respect copyright.PENANAsf6xizsGXR
335Please respect copyright.PENANAF0ENakT1hn
“Okay,” she said.335Please respect copyright.PENANAlQW6B6bHNG
335Please respect copyright.PENANAowbtpLDwXM
“Do you want to tell me about when the dreams started?” I asked, standing and taking a seat at my desk. I grabbed a notepad and a pen and leaned back in the chair.335Please respect copyright.PENANAiWlthBcXvn
335Please respect copyright.PENANAb3AIpJeh1N
“It’s been a few months,” Kendall said, looking at me. She dropped her legs so they hit the floor. “I didn’t understand the first one and I hate labeling them as a nightmare. I don’t want people to think I’m crazy.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAEijiDOJSZA
335Please respect copyright.PENANAMXlyZe8jch
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”335Please respect copyright.PENANATwCb5JMQeQ
335Please respect copyright.PENANAyBVtY4QC7w
“I don’t either,” Christian said, squeezing her hand. He looked at me and smiled from behind Kendall. Then he gazed down at her. “You’ve always been the one with the wild imagination.”335Please respect copyright.PENANARbGminEhwP
335Please respect copyright.PENANAHBgRFpecDi
“It’s more than that,” Kendall said quietly. She was becoming more comfortable, which was good. “If I didn’t do this, if I didn’t kill anyone, then that means one thing.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAPXb0QDlAmR
335Please respect copyright.PENANAeBM7xdJJuU
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.335Please respect copyright.PENANAYWsVlLfDoe
335Please respect copyright.PENANAyXMyYxLcp8
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”335Please respect copyright.PENANAckmnFi7UOf