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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcimaLyrYfU
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdfeTLdrDI
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZXG9z4CeW
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjBuSL9gix
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—475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEP4Xf8qo2F
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFSeUlRosC
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvyO6clQTD
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktaloOLUrX
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPRMpvcvQI
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGTmgs5DqH
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lAZEW4OPX
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KbMLQjarr
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LPAV1fFVU
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZIeaW1TcT
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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViR2VyDkKl
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKDr8Crw1f
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmr3wb7CsB
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKZEtXEVhj
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQ9inPatgP
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PmNnGf28u
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrZamsp3Rx
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOPCktsEMk
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHzR9VFHDc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7WynpyYXs
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpVbF6V93n
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUwWK9hL7X
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7V7tbDyVU
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCdvcT6l9m
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFnZLf9xRC
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3ITXqnBM6
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAfonIXqj6
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwpeo4PXtf
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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhq3B7wyC0
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdWn76MH1e
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimSca9ondJ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYC0QkTHH2w
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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KyROSjHEd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoSNyXpUUN
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5v3vwVC2r
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCG1nBNC1Q
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZaYb1Au25
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTr0rbAqw4
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvu73IeGKK
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJe8NCIp0w
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4GCKY4xFU
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbp65Fv7GYk
“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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ659hReH0YR
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXqT4aav6r
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnExidNYBg
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHo6q3uhWC
“Okay,” she said.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzid4A65ePN
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZK2VRYxVh
“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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbikdqZAdP
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadnsso8L6R
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IxNpooHzd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvDcZWpkll
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0WLqjdNYw
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjxroL9W6s
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rL17vmTZr
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5JqwRGwMW
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdc8I79T47
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEy2GrS0es
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZBm3THRew
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDWC6Pot7y
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGrskcP8yH
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdfeTLdrDI
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZXG9z4CeW
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjBuSL9gix
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—475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEP4Xf8qo2F
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFSeUlRosC
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvyO6clQTD
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktaloOLUrX
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPRMpvcvQI
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGTmgs5DqH
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lAZEW4OPX
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KbMLQjarr
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LPAV1fFVU
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZIeaW1TcT
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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViR2VyDkKl
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKDr8Crw1f
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmr3wb7CsB
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKZEtXEVhj
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQ9inPatgP
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PmNnGf28u
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrZamsp3Rx
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOPCktsEMk
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHzR9VFHDc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7WynpyYXs
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpVbF6V93n
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUwWK9hL7X
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7V7tbDyVU
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCdvcT6l9m
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFnZLf9xRC
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3ITXqnBM6
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAfonIXqj6
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwpeo4PXtf
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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhq3B7wyC0
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdWn76MH1e
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimSca9ondJ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYC0QkTHH2w
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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KyROSjHEd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoSNyXpUUN
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5v3vwVC2r
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCG1nBNC1Q
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZaYb1Au25
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTr0rbAqw4
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvu73IeGKK
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJe8NCIp0w
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4GCKY4xFU
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbp65Fv7GYk
“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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ659hReH0YR
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXqT4aav6r
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnExidNYBg
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHo6q3uhWC
“Okay,” she said.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzid4A65ePN
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZK2VRYxVh
“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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbikdqZAdP
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadnsso8L6R
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IxNpooHzd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvDcZWpkll
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0WLqjdNYw
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjxroL9W6s
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rL17vmTZr
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5JqwRGwMW
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdc8I79T47
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEy2GrS0es
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZBm3THRew
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDWC6Pot7y
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGrskcP8yH
