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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiYG21ul9r
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIUrew0h6s
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkCpVHLzTD
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYhg7YaT5O
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—490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFCU4UsqEW
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pPngWopQQ
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Z6aw3V8Uv
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0Y2UFOiIc
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqJJf5r433
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aVtRcnNmf
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdfSCQJM3d
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57WWr0IZpq
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡna77NzNevh
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGGfht603f
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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLvaAGvZC5
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVJLFb5itk
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSEqCg16O0
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteOqX9uJrN
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDi6vf7Imb
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUMzenDFg2
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4h3q3oLlKT
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrQOwyQlc1
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VXV1UU9gL
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLe8I3mKNZa
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZZHFoWmUP
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRedy95tuuX
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6dMyGV3Hw
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzodjs21lL
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LY8XesKu7
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuXryWWjUy
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnTiEDNmvQ
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhpsZ3m5bU
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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvgk5MhBSG
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl4nermp3I
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIbAwEYJI1
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKst5yDDrdZ
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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcn4TkINajg
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ac7imTt4Z
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl0EzWqVHk
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JDsd1b9cm
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwRrfvUUts
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhhxPHgNkd
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrt70lNUem
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYU4AeorNis
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYHsTM7w8b
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBVFCZ0Oem
“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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAlSsKjMb2
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBVwq5yCND
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TnBKPgYva
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7p5BVsA06F
“Okay,” she said.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrzksumjhV
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTN7BDp9Jk
“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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFWDPO4BCg
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYChl45KuoB
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNZqGjaoxV
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPBr4i1vdU
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eNjkKjRoW
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PlN7F2WLO
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7v37MC5lu
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvu4PapeVlj
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0G5kMol3sw
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmkFq2B6Ik
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysVr37EdAA
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV11jed6JE4
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3coxviqBV
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIUrew0h6s
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkCpVHLzTD
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYhg7YaT5O
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—490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFCU4UsqEW
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pPngWopQQ
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Z6aw3V8Uv
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0Y2UFOiIc
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqJJf5r433
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aVtRcnNmf
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdfSCQJM3d
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57WWr0IZpq
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡna77NzNevh
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGGfht603f
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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLvaAGvZC5
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVJLFb5itk
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSEqCg16O0
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteOqX9uJrN
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDi6vf7Imb
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUMzenDFg2
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4h3q3oLlKT
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrQOwyQlc1
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VXV1UU9gL
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLe8I3mKNZa
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZZHFoWmUP
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRedy95tuuX
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6dMyGV3Hw
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzodjs21lL
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LY8XesKu7
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuXryWWjUy
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnTiEDNmvQ
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhpsZ3m5bU
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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvgk5MhBSG
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl4nermp3I
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIbAwEYJI1
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKst5yDDrdZ
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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcn4TkINajg
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ac7imTt4Z
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl0EzWqVHk
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JDsd1b9cm
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwRrfvUUts
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhhxPHgNkd
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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrt70lNUem
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYU4AeorNis
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYHsTM7w8b
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBVFCZ0Oem
“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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAlSsKjMb2
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBVwq5yCND
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TnBKPgYva
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7p5BVsA06F
“Okay,” she said.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrzksumjhV
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTN7BDp9Jk
“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.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFWDPO4BCg
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYChl45KuoB
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNZqGjaoxV
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPBr4i1vdU
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eNjkKjRoW
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PlN7F2WLO
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7v37MC5lu
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvu4PapeVlj
“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.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0G5kMol3sw
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmkFq2B6Ik
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysVr37EdAA
490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV11jed6JE4
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”490Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3coxviqBV
