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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28wk1aibea
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKebpfY4yF
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlds1qLLMs
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BdAsrjfAC
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—486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uzpt76qml
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItjnfulVkV
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRN2wyO3YF
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17c5sVPiky
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDJzIoIBGW
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLu0dHpVi7s
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCpM5Yq0dd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tAmt6YfCZ
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwo7JNJyDDx
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI31E51Zo1
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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDx1F9o32tT
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7AZF4RAto
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiBTuXskkd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1xzKviGeY
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVXeeL8JH2
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQ7AZfhaII
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRy8AR4J7jc
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCfTqvTDuZ
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡma3S7L015i
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjcGv74rGp
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlM8EEt6HIC
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDnugQxuB9
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVF4XYnn7w4
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIpAUENSfl
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa564s3s5fY
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePjJj43tkC
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20EGwltU3Y
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡistgbY5eE6
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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60ADrOdshx
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGu7x5M7a23
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjOTBgXSHb
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3hoPe8ezh
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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CsHjNehk5
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5UDM7AxAW
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcbwHmGTkJ
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyiZsCkh3p
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAgO0mDEOi
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIiKu6h6Jh
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9uSIv9BzS
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOmVTmmBXw
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJr1kZG4yG
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWOiaILwod
“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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYF9tVvSzrt
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctlfr8CDBW
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgspgXFqmr
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhtl6CR3G5
“Okay,” she said.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaRcp7Qomz
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvK7AadI2h
“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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOajgQN98m
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvxLBwr4n6
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgneUpZEmQ
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91stOiH0j1
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJ3xFmNgnv
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62U1q3cHxE
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzcGQPCpgO
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgTRy2y8Zs
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmN8LK0pgd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ce1uu0eR8
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYxnhvAfJn
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUXP8SQnTk
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiCbmPH8to
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKebpfY4yF
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlds1qLLMs
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BdAsrjfAC
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—486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uzpt76qml
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItjnfulVkV
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRN2wyO3YF
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17c5sVPiky
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDJzIoIBGW
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLu0dHpVi7s
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCpM5Yq0dd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tAmt6YfCZ
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwo7JNJyDDx
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI31E51Zo1
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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDx1F9o32tT
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7AZF4RAto
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiBTuXskkd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1xzKviGeY
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVXeeL8JH2
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQ7AZfhaII
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRy8AR4J7jc
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCfTqvTDuZ
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡma3S7L015i
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjcGv74rGp
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlM8EEt6HIC
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDnugQxuB9
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVF4XYnn7w4
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIpAUENSfl
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa564s3s5fY
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePjJj43tkC
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20EGwltU3Y
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡistgbY5eE6
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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60ADrOdshx
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGu7x5M7a23
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjOTBgXSHb
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3hoPe8ezh
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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CsHjNehk5
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5UDM7AxAW
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcbwHmGTkJ
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyiZsCkh3p
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAgO0mDEOi
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIiKu6h6Jh
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9uSIv9BzS
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOmVTmmBXw
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJr1kZG4yG
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWOiaILwod
“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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYF9tVvSzrt
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctlfr8CDBW
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgspgXFqmr
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhtl6CR3G5
“Okay,” she said.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaRcp7Qomz
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvK7AadI2h
“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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOajgQN98m
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvxLBwr4n6
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgneUpZEmQ
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91stOiH0j1
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJ3xFmNgnv
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62U1q3cHxE
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzcGQPCpgO
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgTRy2y8Zs
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmN8LK0pgd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ce1uu0eR8
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYxnhvAfJn
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUXP8SQnTk
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiCbmPH8to
