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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1J0YgzPXs
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25Tp9xxOju
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnGf8ZOubG
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL1GZqDJDw
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—484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbuQoQ5lNE
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp62sDtXVzg
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzUEnaotXU
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHglsP0119
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5hp2ijkBQ
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfU997apbfv
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJl9RU7s1M
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBWW9yUy8S
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPIU4mlqc9
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIsxmQGcJk
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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGqL8uqXoS
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBoKgCCUbU
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ipjvk2fib
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0gZylyS2v
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmYgbUGsJh
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5HsC0nvcz
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZjWMFLyh7
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwjZZ77F3K
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrx3iI4dbTn
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkIiJMemFL
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQwPxZAV6u
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyvdGqxy5J
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpigIZNTsb
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUltWRBING
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqja7tyH7qG
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nEiHxirRk
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9B6emcMC2q
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUn2j9VUqB
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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbt8cUHsiS
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDgaYDl03i
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqwRVcxzvB
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknW9a9oWjQ
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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1IsJlQOoz
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NBYIe7Yd6
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Fgix5ximI
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDP3iw1psJ
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvpdEBq6Y4
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPk4kqBbSj
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIJEjWrUmP
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GaUFPMv0V
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3eXERxx56
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20PtgdPx3C
“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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMSYyTgmD3
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEeqT5zUPn
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCR24dU2DbK
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfvc52N2nz
“Okay,” she said.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCFzKCfQkZ
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9mRkfblW8
“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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QkYjhpaet
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Fho6mkOnx
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABeh6En6Sw
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35CbsY5Owd
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEn6tl93JTt
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsulVLy2DS
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQI20Nc1bzK
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKPYqw4VOV
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2LwMmVKWT
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNCbQ4Mg4O
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghfXl8iY82
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0GPRutZdb
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFLgIhHvar
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25Tp9xxOju
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnGf8ZOubG
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL1GZqDJDw
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—484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbuQoQ5lNE
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp62sDtXVzg
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzUEnaotXU
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHglsP0119
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5hp2ijkBQ
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfU997apbfv
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJl9RU7s1M
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBWW9yUy8S
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPIU4mlqc9
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIsxmQGcJk
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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGqL8uqXoS
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBoKgCCUbU
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ipjvk2fib
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0gZylyS2v
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmYgbUGsJh
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5HsC0nvcz
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZjWMFLyh7
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwjZZ77F3K
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrx3iI4dbTn
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkIiJMemFL
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQwPxZAV6u
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyvdGqxy5J
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpigIZNTsb
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUltWRBING
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqja7tyH7qG
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nEiHxirRk
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9B6emcMC2q
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUn2j9VUqB
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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbt8cUHsiS
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDgaYDl03i
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqwRVcxzvB
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknW9a9oWjQ
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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1IsJlQOoz
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NBYIe7Yd6
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Fgix5ximI
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDP3iw1psJ
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvpdEBq6Y4
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPk4kqBbSj
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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIJEjWrUmP
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GaUFPMv0V
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3eXERxx56
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20PtgdPx3C
“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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMSYyTgmD3
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEeqT5zUPn
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCR24dU2DbK
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfvc52N2nz
“Okay,” she said.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCFzKCfQkZ
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9mRkfblW8
“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.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QkYjhpaet
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Fho6mkOnx
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABeh6En6Sw
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35CbsY5Owd
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEn6tl93JTt
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsulVLy2DS
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQI20Nc1bzK
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKPYqw4VOV
“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.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2LwMmVKWT
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNCbQ4Mg4O
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghfXl8iY82
484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0GPRutZdb
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”484Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFLgIhHvar
