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
