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.329Please respect copyright.PENANArloZlEs5es
329Please respect copyright.PENANA1oYBmmYczR
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAV6TesJs3ZD
329Please respect copyright.PENANA1YHHevxlH2
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—329Please respect copyright.PENANA6BLkfmp29I
329Please respect copyright.PENANALHe2GTfiRQ
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”329Please respect copyright.PENANA8u8f1yHgOz
329Please respect copyright.PENANAdsVjYSaer2
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAgDv3HhGQ9U
329Please respect copyright.PENANAQLrEzbVmrc
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAftDzEEJGOC
329Please respect copyright.PENANAxE7XVR3Kf7
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAGUGO1OER0Q
329Please respect copyright.PENANAFd5sgY77gi
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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAWewIBRdieV
329Please respect copyright.PENANArrQvrFKkaI
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.329Please respect copyright.PENANAfd4YuC66P3
329Please respect copyright.PENANAJwhEYFp1lc
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAK6MOp5rsLZ
329Please respect copyright.PENANAICPA4G05qX
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAfkvbzypxUa
329Please respect copyright.PENANAinV7sVKEbc
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANA51m69RVHDL
329Please respect copyright.PENANAeANifnNOyy
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAPLftJ0YZzA
329Please respect copyright.PENANAHuQRAU0oBr
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANALOQSY3LYPl
329Please respect copyright.PENANAxPnfTLH4mA
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAaFT2zz7EVn
329Please respect copyright.PENANA0I2EJmlk2P
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.329Please respect copyright.PENANA5A2k4T3ajq
329Please respect copyright.PENANAHScVwSZLB0
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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANATzYY4BOtas
329Please respect copyright.PENANAuozHceRBMU
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAb3kEmZoTbo
329Please respect copyright.PENANA6B4vREWX7H
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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAJmIPvUeYsT
329Please respect copyright.PENANAvxgH2zyp7G
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.329Please respect copyright.PENANAIJApkulL1p
329Please respect copyright.PENANAlxU4A9KJGN
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”329Please respect copyright.PENANA5l4LfZXw3n
329Please respect copyright.PENANAouKHG4JXxz
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAU8emAslyOf
329Please respect copyright.PENANA6bJ3j2IMeY
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAs7Sl7Fmtx2
329Please respect copyright.PENANALxOwtSVIjc
“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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAw5NfMr8v9I
329Please respect copyright.PENANAe2WAlVLJt8
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”329Please respect copyright.PENANANs3hTZ3jL0
329Please respect copyright.PENANAkYusuerXJx
“Okay,” she said.329Please respect copyright.PENANA2Aev6E8YTW
329Please respect copyright.PENANAxn64YLBnae
“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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAkhvOetxisF
329Please respect copyright.PENANAb7iQtaYyvE
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANANANGZP0kly
329Please respect copyright.PENANAq4kt83bDP3
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”329Please respect copyright.PENANARkVTH8PYGR
329Please respect copyright.PENANAnpVv2nUbfa
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAINsy6ptUfj
329Please respect copyright.PENANAnufxD7dvaL
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAwOn7aQpTgm
329Please respect copyright.PENANAo284IyMjat
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.329Please respect copyright.PENANAS0cB39InNP
329Please respect copyright.PENANAb75QZpj5nu
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”329Please respect copyright.PENANA8GUBCgeZ1x
329Please respect copyright.PENANA1oYBmmYczR
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAV6TesJs3ZD
329Please respect copyright.PENANA1YHHevxlH2
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—329Please respect copyright.PENANA6BLkfmp29I
329Please respect copyright.PENANALHe2GTfiRQ
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”329Please respect copyright.PENANA8u8f1yHgOz
329Please respect copyright.PENANAdsVjYSaer2
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAgDv3HhGQ9U
329Please respect copyright.PENANAQLrEzbVmrc
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAftDzEEJGOC
329Please respect copyright.PENANAxE7XVR3Kf7
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAGUGO1OER0Q
329Please respect copyright.PENANAFd5sgY77gi
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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAWewIBRdieV
329Please respect copyright.PENANArrQvrFKkaI
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.329Please respect copyright.PENANAfd4YuC66P3
329Please respect copyright.PENANAJwhEYFp1lc
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAK6MOp5rsLZ
329Please respect copyright.PENANAICPA4G05qX
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAfkvbzypxUa
329Please respect copyright.PENANAinV7sVKEbc
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANA51m69RVHDL
329Please respect copyright.PENANAeANifnNOyy
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAPLftJ0YZzA
329Please respect copyright.PENANAHuQRAU0oBr
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANALOQSY3LYPl
329Please respect copyright.PENANAxPnfTLH4mA
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAaFT2zz7EVn
329Please respect copyright.PENANA0I2EJmlk2P
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.329Please respect copyright.PENANA5A2k4T3ajq
329Please respect copyright.PENANAHScVwSZLB0
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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANATzYY4BOtas
329Please respect copyright.PENANAuozHceRBMU
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAb3kEmZoTbo
329Please respect copyright.PENANA6B4vREWX7H
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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAJmIPvUeYsT
329Please respect copyright.PENANAvxgH2zyp7G
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.329Please respect copyright.PENANAIJApkulL1p
329Please respect copyright.PENANAlxU4A9KJGN
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”329Please respect copyright.PENANA5l4LfZXw3n
329Please respect copyright.PENANAouKHG4JXxz
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAU8emAslyOf
329Please respect copyright.PENANA6bJ3j2IMeY
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAs7Sl7Fmtx2
329Please respect copyright.PENANALxOwtSVIjc
“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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAw5NfMr8v9I
329Please respect copyright.PENANAe2WAlVLJt8
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”329Please respect copyright.PENANANs3hTZ3jL0
329Please respect copyright.PENANAkYusuerXJx
“Okay,” she said.329Please respect copyright.PENANA2Aev6E8YTW
329Please respect copyright.PENANAxn64YLBnae
“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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAkhvOetxisF
329Please respect copyright.PENANAb7iQtaYyvE
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANANANGZP0kly
329Please respect copyright.PENANAq4kt83bDP3
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”329Please respect copyright.PENANARkVTH8PYGR
329Please respect copyright.PENANAnpVv2nUbfa
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAINsy6ptUfj
329Please respect copyright.PENANAnufxD7dvaL
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAwOn7aQpTgm
329Please respect copyright.PENANAo284IyMjat
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.329Please respect copyright.PENANAS0cB39InNP
329Please respect copyright.PENANAb75QZpj5nu
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”329Please respect copyright.PENANA8GUBCgeZ1x