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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIHPSxDd0d
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNpDRbZbzt
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqR0xYoaAHd
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMfQxbSbKk
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—437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LjJyBGIyC
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjEvQlEInr
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkTvxS6427
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNNbsKHVMm
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA079g2V2i
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCffnGYXVtC
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMdhY1jBYO
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApRg2HuuKW
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkCr7pXnQk
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4fvYH9VQ6
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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGy5UUOpmY
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOEtSt0RGh
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0ANgephcF
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbI9XokNRv
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1a5RqODcx
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaE4E3EPjMb
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTDKgxaj5J
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1DlqMmhdH
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgw2MtE7JA
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqtbB2ui6o
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XvoYIunh1
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pfwFP7uoE
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAwiDrbBE4
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBS7Ik6QhE0
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvCh6ZdHl5
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fGFT8QBvL
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFwbr7Z78n
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5qs9xhjKR
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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWecUN3jp8
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcNwrYVQDJ
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTe1LC2om9
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjm76U01Xt
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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwnHV6PfDb
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVE2cfqH692
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jBgwjvJWy
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFzXPoFIU5
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmJkjVFOwE
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZpeOj5aWE
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqh6Xfr5Ze4
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao43fcuf1k
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYQYdASwSH
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGkoZwqgCh
“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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHHjKMwvOz
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyNRKcXTw5
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfiBaa1wb6
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JrtKBYERQ
“Okay,” she said.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFpa7KEzT3
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEWoWufFb0
“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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1Q5PfFt75
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvb4sYTTeI
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11bzWjuBnm
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7bdCSv8wE
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XpLkrW3EF
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZoMxgv1Uj
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZOPAP68vE
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhKYRVCPAF
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1rZEkXFeI
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKMqdZOqV3
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kZrd28mue
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJk7HFaaUfB
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVR6uHaUeE
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNpDRbZbzt
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqR0xYoaAHd
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMfQxbSbKk
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—437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LjJyBGIyC
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjEvQlEInr
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkTvxS6427
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNNbsKHVMm
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA079g2V2i
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCffnGYXVtC
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMdhY1jBYO
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApRg2HuuKW
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkCr7pXnQk
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4fvYH9VQ6
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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGy5UUOpmY
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOEtSt0RGh
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0ANgephcF
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbI9XokNRv
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1a5RqODcx
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaE4E3EPjMb
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTDKgxaj5J
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1DlqMmhdH
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgw2MtE7JA
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqtbB2ui6o
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XvoYIunh1
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pfwFP7uoE
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAwiDrbBE4
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBS7Ik6QhE0
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvCh6ZdHl5
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fGFT8QBvL
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFwbr7Z78n
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5qs9xhjKR
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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWecUN3jp8
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcNwrYVQDJ
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTe1LC2om9
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjm76U01Xt
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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwnHV6PfDb
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVE2cfqH692
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jBgwjvJWy
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFzXPoFIU5
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmJkjVFOwE
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZpeOj5aWE
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqh6Xfr5Ze4
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao43fcuf1k
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYQYdASwSH
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGkoZwqgCh
“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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHHjKMwvOz
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyNRKcXTw5
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfiBaa1wb6
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JrtKBYERQ
“Okay,” she said.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFpa7KEzT3
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEWoWufFb0
“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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1Q5PfFt75
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvb4sYTTeI
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11bzWjuBnm
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7bdCSv8wE
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XpLkrW3EF
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZoMxgv1Uj
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZOPAP68vE
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhKYRVCPAF
“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.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1rZEkXFeI
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKMqdZOqV3
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kZrd28mue
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJk7HFaaUfB
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVR6uHaUeE
