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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfRQkk0Sn2
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrFzUbhAWD
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgf6InqV1I
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ41j5geFVf
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—394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD38aInddq
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ScOHjVTQd
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYJ3Tbg36S
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNvx27LiNp
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbD8yuuqYQP
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrleMvLsLwi
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPd8Fv0Nzyo
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuXAjFlLdr
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICVg97fex6
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbs2rJGEXvR
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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbXIPCtIMB
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3r0ni5ZPg
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZf78ljZ6p
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhL7GKl86j
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhwpWXE819
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5guAy5w2d
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSd8UaPQsD
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhr4rNeZUP
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOpOk0rP9K
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUVvAShh80
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMk29vSIY9
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uW7qOFxXP
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcvpmerIIK
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQZMpo7aIn
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9f77okBiU
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhM6gcGBoYy
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5A6oAexKd
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooDGX8l6uI
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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqxtwa0XNL
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBEelFeVyD
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12r089QI01
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt8crQCHno
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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJT9SKTKTiv
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnQJ0JmZy4
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqROCrZh2Yh
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9Vu1z2t1n
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl802SXbQ9
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SZ68cv8VU
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcbCx8EAEr
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWOk60klnd
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgV9dddkqUJ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoq8hnpL3Kx
“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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSk8ZVWN6G
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2FDJenQM2
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVHi6meZ81
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Kuw0zib7c
“Okay,” she said.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgl3VMXHNAi
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1eNF0nLbN
“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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fOsWbxo4B
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNZ4dRWH7D
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtGMw4Vs9I
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLvfOKTSEk
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLakiSxBhw
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyqSAscE5w
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbvLvwVtEC
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBr3oaMuR7j
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN88vA6k88j
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxHnnbxjeR
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshlyGLep8e
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnnarGUXf2
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYe7dArmhs
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrFzUbhAWD
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgf6InqV1I
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ41j5geFVf
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—394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD38aInddq
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ScOHjVTQd
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYJ3Tbg36S
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNvx27LiNp
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbD8yuuqYQP
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrleMvLsLwi
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPd8Fv0Nzyo
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuXAjFlLdr
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICVg97fex6
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbs2rJGEXvR
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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbXIPCtIMB
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3r0ni5ZPg
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZf78ljZ6p
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhL7GKl86j
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhwpWXE819
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5guAy5w2d
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSd8UaPQsD
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhr4rNeZUP
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOpOk0rP9K
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUVvAShh80
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMk29vSIY9
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uW7qOFxXP
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcvpmerIIK
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQZMpo7aIn
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9f77okBiU
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhM6gcGBoYy
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5A6oAexKd
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooDGX8l6uI
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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqxtwa0XNL
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBEelFeVyD
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12r089QI01
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt8crQCHno
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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJT9SKTKTiv
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnQJ0JmZy4
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqROCrZh2Yh
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9Vu1z2t1n
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl802SXbQ9
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SZ68cv8VU
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcbCx8EAEr
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWOk60klnd
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgV9dddkqUJ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoq8hnpL3Kx
“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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSk8ZVWN6G
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2FDJenQM2
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVHi6meZ81
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Kuw0zib7c
“Okay,” she said.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgl3VMXHNAi
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1eNF0nLbN
“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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fOsWbxo4B
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNZ4dRWH7D
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtGMw4Vs9I
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLvfOKTSEk
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLakiSxBhw
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyqSAscE5w
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbvLvwVtEC
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBr3oaMuR7j
“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.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN88vA6k88j
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxHnnbxjeR
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshlyGLep8e
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnnarGUXf2
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYe7dArmhs
