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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ82lBMbHiV
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ArR0x6rc2
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrG3SLOn4wZ
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8LFAcRHVg
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—471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzk0aSS1VZT
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpJAisxwqV
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b16thLyTo
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpqiSRVEat
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnilY9q9A8
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVWalrn0nP
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4qrzA7BUL
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4y0JnQhsJ
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJRiWTm3wm
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBbjktjna3
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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBc9defq32
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqXnW0HP72
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKI0glN9Pe
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtw2kGI0pof
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZwh89Qfwr
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgIccQj9R5
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepYvAc10L6
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15IgR3CdLj
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXAY92nxhF
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSrU3TTHyL
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0NtYJDwI7
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoig2VfaFLP
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqiEVgsKgh
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWFmAlV283
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hRzoOe4i0
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXBvl9q368
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQ10r5crXg
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7VHT4oYIV
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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUi2rde9YHh
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqY1aaKFIQn
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHrL41Mzfk
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzVd0dP3qg
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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvMZ1MxMTb
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpxaxqvxJY
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruBySbbCqp
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTp7khbSUu
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelqvmgFgEi
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFXQkSLx4Y
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8DxkhPBQv
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdQlBkFrfR
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrQj6RlzHL
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA8GKlJcQ9
“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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTFkyRq5K0
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2iUsPJyp4
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMXxIgpMUY
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu30dlC0a4L
“Okay,” she said.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IeaAf71MI
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0Kz479c0p
“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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwfiFZC5NA
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEIngYUGAG
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoWGnZQcFf
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwB7T05Sal
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeIWZLLB4H
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyLY4m6JBt
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEL7H3VZbY
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAjEk8sgIW
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPE4FCDvjqA
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTK294wGKxc
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YKq3qOSB8
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe4iuNsLkm
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGM1ZYNKkUo
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ArR0x6rc2
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrG3SLOn4wZ
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8LFAcRHVg
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—471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzk0aSS1VZT
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpJAisxwqV
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b16thLyTo
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpqiSRVEat
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnilY9q9A8
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVWalrn0nP
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4qrzA7BUL
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4y0JnQhsJ
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJRiWTm3wm
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBbjktjna3
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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBc9defq32
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqXnW0HP72
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKI0glN9Pe
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtw2kGI0pof
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZwh89Qfwr
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgIccQj9R5
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepYvAc10L6
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15IgR3CdLj
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXAY92nxhF
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSrU3TTHyL
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0NtYJDwI7
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoig2VfaFLP
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqiEVgsKgh
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWFmAlV283
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hRzoOe4i0
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXBvl9q368
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQ10r5crXg
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7VHT4oYIV
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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUi2rde9YHh
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqY1aaKFIQn
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHrL41Mzfk
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzVd0dP3qg
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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvMZ1MxMTb
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpxaxqvxJY
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruBySbbCqp
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTp7khbSUu
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelqvmgFgEi
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFXQkSLx4Y
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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8DxkhPBQv
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdQlBkFrfR
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrQj6RlzHL
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA8GKlJcQ9
“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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTFkyRq5K0
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2iUsPJyp4
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMXxIgpMUY
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu30dlC0a4L
“Okay,” she said.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IeaAf71MI
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0Kz479c0p
“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.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwfiFZC5NA
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEIngYUGAG
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoWGnZQcFf
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwB7T05Sal
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeIWZLLB4H
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyLY4m6JBt
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEL7H3VZbY
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAjEk8sgIW
“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.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPE4FCDvjqA
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTK294wGKxc
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YKq3qOSB8
471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe4iuNsLkm
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”471Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGM1ZYNKkUo
