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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEYevvS5py
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqL1hSHFMJ
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6U9ONEN7Am
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO6injEDoH
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—442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7igKWHW7v
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrxgWdlNKS
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpt0xUKxCAR
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3eWRgfgkf
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFXjo0wrs2
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4mlopjK3U
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBpFvMViDz
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutftgjGYNb
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEy7ecVdvtg
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMIkYYanoO
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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTypHn8hge6
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt5vh37tQP
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7I4kLQeZPQ
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SXadVoUc6
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmQbTHxRIG
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4klVjUVjM1
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpxR5670TW
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtegKWN2yO0
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dM0sANG89
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSVPERxXCv
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XFmnGOatB
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5pX9zGpXV
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0c0k10Hdo
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtz04YIQBM
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVCcCyiFPf
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOv1nHqD13
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmqmtzYWrl
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC01Dn40cG
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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXSW9NKNuz
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHyBt3sYdu
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTMW7Od3w3
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcBairNSZs
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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ab4MOfGun
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7F54wnFqGj
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T9PS15KNQ
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioXOs8Euh9
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw3CYn7sNT
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyWrRC8jrC
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5LVkd301y
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtlMvh1WJm
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4CN4hpoZW
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi11qRZ9k1H
“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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuIHkJDZJi
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMxNzvMQPj
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpd1znSxSI
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavRcBdJaZf
“Okay,” she said.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWco4JfbGsW
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3uUyF5tqO
“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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAUyTv43GN
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Z6TOlpYUX
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39GPIayYL4
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVi3vzqQ8r
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkqeuWCUNU
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWnMI0c34S
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucn7U9ralM
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylz7cFbkhf
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdXAsp69Rf
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoyYwBgMAR
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2HfWoSRFn
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhsIWckodL
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcZ4EQzsHv
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqL1hSHFMJ
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6U9ONEN7Am
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO6injEDoH
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—442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7igKWHW7v
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrxgWdlNKS
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpt0xUKxCAR
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3eWRgfgkf
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFXjo0wrs2
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4mlopjK3U
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBpFvMViDz
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutftgjGYNb
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEy7ecVdvtg
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMIkYYanoO
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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTypHn8hge6
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt5vh37tQP
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7I4kLQeZPQ
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SXadVoUc6
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmQbTHxRIG
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4klVjUVjM1
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpxR5670TW
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtegKWN2yO0
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dM0sANG89
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSVPERxXCv
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XFmnGOatB
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5pX9zGpXV
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0c0k10Hdo
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtz04YIQBM
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVCcCyiFPf
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOv1nHqD13
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmqmtzYWrl
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC01Dn40cG
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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXSW9NKNuz
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHyBt3sYdu
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTMW7Od3w3
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcBairNSZs
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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ab4MOfGun
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7F54wnFqGj
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T9PS15KNQ
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioXOs8Euh9
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw3CYn7sNT
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyWrRC8jrC
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5LVkd301y
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtlMvh1WJm
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4CN4hpoZW
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi11qRZ9k1H
“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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuIHkJDZJi
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMxNzvMQPj
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpd1znSxSI
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavRcBdJaZf
“Okay,” she said.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWco4JfbGsW
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3uUyF5tqO
“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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAUyTv43GN
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Z6TOlpYUX
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39GPIayYL4
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVi3vzqQ8r
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkqeuWCUNU
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWnMI0c34S
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucn7U9ralM
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylz7cFbkhf
“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.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdXAsp69Rf
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoyYwBgMAR
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2HfWoSRFn
442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhsIWckodL
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcZ4EQzsHv
