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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksav2L7fEK
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mr55h6sl6
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hJE7ZSKEZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIzyJRdFid
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—464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIKfJm14dF
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfToPu0oNV
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6N3tCth4q
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2uJKcAAOy
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfrrbquCPP
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftQ2Jc9FuL
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HMuDhQCHw
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1XCxywKy7
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfOsSvfGZt
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt877fTFWs
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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuU7o4K9Yda
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3acbBMXMGR
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWFKpRcBIo
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3ibTWXktF
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9bTkja8AZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFUuTIFS4B
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2Ea6y7BHx
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6nIa6s2bw
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEV3kPW2fiD
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5aE7zpQZj
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJYRJyJYKC
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrUh4pTgPw
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKqjNbg090
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAeJh1k3cA
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGq1KucAXcN
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8BSWyML35
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0mbOVJ6xJ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4ptfbkvuY
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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MLmLIUOPV
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGaeDMh10d
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRq6DWYIHE
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgqaUFHPU1
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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ99mNHcUfH
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2p2FcxNEq
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3W6008PQW
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gWMG7oUx0
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKztXV5ATpz
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzPC9scsNe
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYp2ZV1MTYi
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9l6Z9JjoGT
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BvP12dv7h
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2Fyo7UsMx
“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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmWfwjqnVY
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgTSsHut4b
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh25sqpNavN
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYxgNyVHX6
“Okay,” she said.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6HTJwwv5W
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0A6zRojch
“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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNutSpVkcZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkI80qlL9Y
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxMW3mmwRC
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbSX2Vq4dX
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikDrm11Tz0
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncKLRoCWo9
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Or6UTHPC5
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCasdk6VPma
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOBvV7LZRn
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRi6ix0Up1
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNqdDCdHgn
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJtMHRZfk2
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9FjRwCIYg
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mr55h6sl6
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hJE7ZSKEZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIzyJRdFid
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—464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIKfJm14dF
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfToPu0oNV
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6N3tCth4q
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2uJKcAAOy
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfrrbquCPP
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftQ2Jc9FuL
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HMuDhQCHw
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1XCxywKy7
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfOsSvfGZt
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt877fTFWs
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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuU7o4K9Yda
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3acbBMXMGR
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWFKpRcBIo
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3ibTWXktF
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9bTkja8AZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFUuTIFS4B
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2Ea6y7BHx
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6nIa6s2bw
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEV3kPW2fiD
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5aE7zpQZj
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJYRJyJYKC
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrUh4pTgPw
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKqjNbg090
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAeJh1k3cA
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGq1KucAXcN
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8BSWyML35
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0mbOVJ6xJ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4ptfbkvuY
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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MLmLIUOPV
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGaeDMh10d
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRq6DWYIHE
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgqaUFHPU1
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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ99mNHcUfH
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2p2FcxNEq
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3W6008PQW
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gWMG7oUx0
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKztXV5ATpz
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzPC9scsNe
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYp2ZV1MTYi
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9l6Z9JjoGT
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BvP12dv7h
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2Fyo7UsMx
“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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmWfwjqnVY
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgTSsHut4b
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh25sqpNavN
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYxgNyVHX6
“Okay,” she said.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6HTJwwv5W
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0A6zRojch
“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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNutSpVkcZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkI80qlL9Y
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxMW3mmwRC
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbSX2Vq4dX
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikDrm11Tz0
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncKLRoCWo9
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Or6UTHPC5
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCasdk6VPma
“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.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOBvV7LZRn
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRi6ix0Up1
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNqdDCdHgn
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJtMHRZfk2
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9FjRwCIYg
