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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdOH5eurae
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoe5rbAUbuk
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWerN4AqyP
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMARGBT4v5
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—472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hQm1Oho6M
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0X2W7ggbD
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtQnthXYMf
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuvgyiIo3e
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAA8wIlCVm8
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcih0vReQO
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJPC9rk2eU
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG06jUm6GlM
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtCtDcEW5F
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEkZ605PTf
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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHjR2h8CXN
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcz3uCuZpmC
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrKDw1rNOM
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d2pCFd2yd
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZgm2MKCaX
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEH2nlrc6zU
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6wprgiJnA
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kcYfbHaZc
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBz5WQNX5j
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqVk8tew1w
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsv7PwR6kG
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTeY5fRQqEB
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7UomENVW3
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvK7a9hwxY
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuHGjf5Q93
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeF659hQhg
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWVUu1XCJv
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f8GniduWx
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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNTvgZK3I3
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaStb9wsOK9
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuu5UhpjEi6
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSubXbfgGo
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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlr4vUWaaYc
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEH3OsRp9a
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffEhn4N4WP
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOk288Bap4T
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPbvfTld5s
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBcGGcOQwT
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCYqKqUG0M
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1JQBLPL8C
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWe7zjoTld
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpsDOVfMQX
“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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OTw4UQHGg
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKQNsxDFty
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMs0Ev6J0EU
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHQjy8nttG
“Okay,” she said.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtnSSczkcv
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9maeKRU6gm
“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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo18A3viWDh
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODhf4xDUjo
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZz7TBRurGA
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDbSPZ9dPY
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkm1kDd5NA
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCnBpDLLnf
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrod4em9xYU
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4EH9cMZpP
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfikZJU616L
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdm8bpkPaMS
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAmMfy3LZu
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebWIfhqcs0
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnj0GXJCxLe
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoe5rbAUbuk
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWerN4AqyP
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMARGBT4v5
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—472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hQm1Oho6M
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0X2W7ggbD
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtQnthXYMf
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuvgyiIo3e
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAA8wIlCVm8
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcih0vReQO
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJPC9rk2eU
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG06jUm6GlM
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtCtDcEW5F
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEkZ605PTf
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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHjR2h8CXN
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcz3uCuZpmC
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrKDw1rNOM
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d2pCFd2yd
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZgm2MKCaX
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEH2nlrc6zU
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6wprgiJnA
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kcYfbHaZc
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBz5WQNX5j
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqVk8tew1w
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsv7PwR6kG
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTeY5fRQqEB
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7UomENVW3
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvK7a9hwxY
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuHGjf5Q93
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeF659hQhg
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWVUu1XCJv
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f8GniduWx
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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNTvgZK3I3
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaStb9wsOK9
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuu5UhpjEi6
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSubXbfgGo
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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlr4vUWaaYc
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEH3OsRp9a
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffEhn4N4WP
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOk288Bap4T
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPbvfTld5s
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBcGGcOQwT
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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCYqKqUG0M
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1JQBLPL8C
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWe7zjoTld
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpsDOVfMQX
“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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OTw4UQHGg
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKQNsxDFty
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMs0Ev6J0EU
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHQjy8nttG
“Okay,” she said.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtnSSczkcv
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9maeKRU6gm
“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.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo18A3viWDh
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODhf4xDUjo
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZz7TBRurGA
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDbSPZ9dPY
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkm1kDd5NA
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCnBpDLLnf
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrod4em9xYU
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4EH9cMZpP
“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.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfikZJU616L
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdm8bpkPaMS
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAmMfy3LZu
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebWIfhqcs0
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnj0GXJCxLe
