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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHyOWRO8mg
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBl1k6qhBD
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYTtZlQFOQ
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin2KP7sbAS
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—491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94vDe99wcg
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJUr6Zs6aI
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZ9i72sUAX
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYlkvAcIUP
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXJ5eJaoDJ
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3MsAY1YBg
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nZQlLnw4e
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYaQklt9Ia
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpkL9yfoW6
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQW1xxQJmr
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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7OuQEr4YF
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdwQLHiU6l
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7XGZY3RmU
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4a5jA4GCdU
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3TGnGURMU
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDTQGoLFQ0
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4egPAoJXU
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTn2rzWr8VP
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeG3hJ2gsk
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYZciCu3L4
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6raoYSvB7b
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EvElUZ9JL
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKZjxW1pYJ
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LztEv0QcP
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1kfXXogrS
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqMCUPbox5
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2FpPc8JGs
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHreGYuVMe
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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqRwCTZ1gg
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlanZhykwss
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKouNjLjZ2X
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IFxYQxubb
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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNxBi24HP6
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5VWxFdfU2
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0lIBMxHiT
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXpswv3cZl
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqLpyHWX1W
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPNypPuZ7q
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLP3InlGtSS
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ktnQ7756l
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsgiYhZYrx
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGTKVG3Ipg
“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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5TUhmLZXP
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIWQkUxdEp
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojZxzob2Ug
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDnMqn8xHT
“Okay,” she said.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKf5HK3kxU
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡax48PVn5rr
“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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kbzSy2ir0
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29kauiUDXW
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNg0dvMhS6A
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwIYs4tz0P
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyLf2qwWTQ
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPg5Z8cMDh
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfd2IVuAHaA
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8tYW2ccJI
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrg6O6GE7x
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1c6JB1vKJ
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7hQXy2Vq1
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hYb6lEX17
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT0r8m2lGY
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBl1k6qhBD
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYTtZlQFOQ
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin2KP7sbAS
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—491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94vDe99wcg
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJUr6Zs6aI
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZ9i72sUAX
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYlkvAcIUP
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXJ5eJaoDJ
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3MsAY1YBg
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nZQlLnw4e
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYaQklt9Ia
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpkL9yfoW6
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQW1xxQJmr
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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7OuQEr4YF
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdwQLHiU6l
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7XGZY3RmU
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4a5jA4GCdU
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3TGnGURMU
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDTQGoLFQ0
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4egPAoJXU
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTn2rzWr8VP
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeG3hJ2gsk
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYZciCu3L4
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6raoYSvB7b
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EvElUZ9JL
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKZjxW1pYJ
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LztEv0QcP
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1kfXXogrS
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqMCUPbox5
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2FpPc8JGs
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHreGYuVMe
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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqRwCTZ1gg
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlanZhykwss
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKouNjLjZ2X
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IFxYQxubb
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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNxBi24HP6
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5VWxFdfU2
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0lIBMxHiT
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXpswv3cZl
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqLpyHWX1W
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPNypPuZ7q
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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLP3InlGtSS
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ktnQ7756l
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsgiYhZYrx
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGTKVG3Ipg
“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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5TUhmLZXP
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIWQkUxdEp
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojZxzob2Ug
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDnMqn8xHT
“Okay,” she said.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKf5HK3kxU
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡax48PVn5rr
“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.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kbzSy2ir0
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29kauiUDXW
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNg0dvMhS6A
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwIYs4tz0P
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyLf2qwWTQ
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPg5Z8cMDh
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfd2IVuAHaA
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8tYW2ccJI
“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.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrg6O6GE7x
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1c6JB1vKJ
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7hQXy2Vq1
491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hYb6lEX17
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”491Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT0r8m2lGY
