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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAAgzeHro5wQ
458Please respect copyright.PENANAnt8n5UY1lm
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAH5UrZKEOSv
458Please respect copyright.PENANAjonA7Pgey9
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—458Please respect copyright.PENANA6iiAsavIZ6
458Please respect copyright.PENANAHNhy2NKsnf
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”458Please respect copyright.PENANATCJpM0yNT4
458Please respect copyright.PENANAXMH137eXgP
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAbKlPdP84BW
458Please respect copyright.PENANAbGJYUvOj4o
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANA4krS9GmWgZ
458Please respect copyright.PENANAXtXXyKIXSf
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAX3zhf3vitP
458Please respect copyright.PENANAidvUkuqxGn
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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAslD2UTtYrE
458Please respect copyright.PENANAzpbxVT8XiY
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.458Please respect copyright.PENANAn1R7fljcNJ
458Please respect copyright.PENANABDEwFWqQ7U
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANA4I4WKvDX7B
458Please respect copyright.PENANA85K36MZEfx
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAGt6WowUIuG
458Please respect copyright.PENANA0DRMdIIu6b
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAWfvFEpmJss
458Please respect copyright.PENANA0g8ByUpGJS
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAcXO53NHUvw
458Please respect copyright.PENANA7YRWbHyv8t
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANARCxrHgyrzh
458Please respect copyright.PENANALIddHHn4J3
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”458Please respect copyright.PENANAK27Wlh3IsP
458Please respect copyright.PENANAWz9inLl6ix
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.458Please respect copyright.PENANAP7cUoUHFMP
458Please respect copyright.PENANAUWX5065AjO
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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANALEJjc20j1B
458Please respect copyright.PENANAa6NiyF1qSQ
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”458Please respect copyright.PENANAv4vt8KfHrt
458Please respect copyright.PENANAmfGw2XdHkg
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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANA28XlzJTd4l
458Please respect copyright.PENANAWOCsFYdQsc
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.458Please respect copyright.PENANArBd4gmIovC
458Please respect copyright.PENANATx4UW1en3w
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAzhyLeS3azX
458Please respect copyright.PENANADNkXJytV5S
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAxQigCp9OfX
458Please respect copyright.PENANANfXh0fhUl8
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAX53bqC4WMi
458Please respect copyright.PENANAmwFBpldkZC
“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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAqXerBau985
458Please respect copyright.PENANA88hGHIVlKp
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”458Please respect copyright.PENANA5piVCOKgH0
458Please respect copyright.PENANA5onbiqG4bB
“Okay,” she said.458Please respect copyright.PENANA3wwp3SCtJD
458Please respect copyright.PENANAcyLyMp6rsZ
“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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAbnhJqZsnB5
458Please respect copyright.PENANAJgEmyjsov0
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAyuYDXxZ4Rv
458Please respect copyright.PENANAbX0llTKMMp
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAKgPCjNL3ze
458Please respect copyright.PENANAjOer70I0PQ
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAflfFhxlSKS
458Please respect copyright.PENANAty92EsM9dD
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAr2mDzE62Vv
458Please respect copyright.PENANAx1quRkXS7x
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.458Please respect copyright.PENANA4NzZd5FdqI
458Please respect copyright.PENANAIggEK3beoE
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAwHz5LOvRvQ
458Please respect copyright.PENANAnt8n5UY1lm
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAH5UrZKEOSv
458Please respect copyright.PENANAjonA7Pgey9
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—458Please respect copyright.PENANA6iiAsavIZ6
458Please respect copyright.PENANAHNhy2NKsnf
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”458Please respect copyright.PENANATCJpM0yNT4
458Please respect copyright.PENANAXMH137eXgP
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAbKlPdP84BW
458Please respect copyright.PENANAbGJYUvOj4o
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANA4krS9GmWgZ
458Please respect copyright.PENANAXtXXyKIXSf
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAX3zhf3vitP
458Please respect copyright.PENANAidvUkuqxGn
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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAslD2UTtYrE
458Please respect copyright.PENANAzpbxVT8XiY
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.458Please respect copyright.PENANAn1R7fljcNJ
458Please respect copyright.PENANABDEwFWqQ7U
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANA4I4WKvDX7B
458Please respect copyright.PENANA85K36MZEfx
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAGt6WowUIuG
458Please respect copyright.PENANA0DRMdIIu6b
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAWfvFEpmJss
458Please respect copyright.PENANA0g8ByUpGJS
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAcXO53NHUvw
458Please respect copyright.PENANA7YRWbHyv8t
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANARCxrHgyrzh
458Please respect copyright.PENANALIddHHn4J3
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”458Please respect copyright.PENANAK27Wlh3IsP
458Please respect copyright.PENANAWz9inLl6ix
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.458Please respect copyright.PENANAP7cUoUHFMP
458Please respect copyright.PENANAUWX5065AjO
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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANALEJjc20j1B
458Please respect copyright.PENANAa6NiyF1qSQ
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”458Please respect copyright.PENANAv4vt8KfHrt
458Please respect copyright.PENANAmfGw2XdHkg
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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANA28XlzJTd4l
458Please respect copyright.PENANAWOCsFYdQsc
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.458Please respect copyright.PENANArBd4gmIovC
458Please respect copyright.PENANATx4UW1en3w
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAzhyLeS3azX
458Please respect copyright.PENANADNkXJytV5S
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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAxQigCp9OfX
458Please respect copyright.PENANANfXh0fhUl8
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAX53bqC4WMi
458Please respect copyright.PENANAmwFBpldkZC
“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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAqXerBau985
458Please respect copyright.PENANA88hGHIVlKp
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”458Please respect copyright.PENANA5piVCOKgH0
458Please respect copyright.PENANA5onbiqG4bB
“Okay,” she said.458Please respect copyright.PENANA3wwp3SCtJD
458Please respect copyright.PENANAcyLyMp6rsZ
“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.458Please respect copyright.PENANAbnhJqZsnB5
458Please respect copyright.PENANAJgEmyjsov0
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAyuYDXxZ4Rv
458Please respect copyright.PENANAbX0llTKMMp
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAKgPCjNL3ze
458Please respect copyright.PENANAjOer70I0PQ
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAflfFhxlSKS
458Please respect copyright.PENANAty92EsM9dD
“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.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAr2mDzE62Vv
458Please respect copyright.PENANAx1quRkXS7x
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.458Please respect copyright.PENANA4NzZd5FdqI
458Please respect copyright.PENANAIggEK3beoE
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”458Please respect copyright.PENANAwHz5LOvRvQ