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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Dqxjctd2U
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRq8LHEs1zd
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd0QiZAAhs
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1wwmQY00C
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—436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPe9iEdOEH
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cFZaESzZr
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgARTOLfzJw
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLincRDimuz
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswAvEVzvSc
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOXbWrXBFX
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwi6mzNcv2
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4aPPeUVRk
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdXosYHBVk
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakWCS44ljF
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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtXu4x3gFl
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQokvD1ntLl
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwREsvhQLO
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrji0i2Yxog
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIYHRnYcVj
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpP7sLyOoNp
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoazdc2Pt2
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrTsX1aKmw
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIUTltYwMg
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcY7tYRfBj
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtAP5PNsdX
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1zqac5KKX
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAQg5pxzpt
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡineAU9fLhs
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kOeafTc8x
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolWTmZC8fy
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjlQpw5gUr
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNH0p1mSWUT
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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJlUkaDm07
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAKKudKk95
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJq0RN0EZ7U
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3yCV9KUAl
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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOS6RFe7VuM
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnE6wu4lMp
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfqL07ljd7
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjmwNCiAb9
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnASfy6WlgD
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Jfaiibj5q
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSjhlG6jIc
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHKAQzUusl
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5QiDdpaNg
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZSjw583qX
“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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrre0QmUKVp
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fBHAYB3G5
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tJsKqxwUF
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTvJQcUXWv
“Okay,” she said.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzZGbwJQ5M
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDh27AEidw
“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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76sNXm3nHo
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FpoxljQ5Y
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8i2EdBf2h
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCHSp0PiNt
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6sn9T6MIj
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGI24y9RSR
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsbwsX3vPb
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvWqeBhVNl
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ25n6iB5dE
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQqQ9MjrRN
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeajaSlxvur
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuuGYymHIf
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nRAoT7seR
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRq8LHEs1zd
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd0QiZAAhs
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1wwmQY00C
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—436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPe9iEdOEH
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cFZaESzZr
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgARTOLfzJw
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLincRDimuz
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswAvEVzvSc
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOXbWrXBFX
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwi6mzNcv2
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4aPPeUVRk
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdXosYHBVk
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakWCS44ljF
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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtXu4x3gFl
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQokvD1ntLl
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwREsvhQLO
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrji0i2Yxog
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIYHRnYcVj
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpP7sLyOoNp
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoazdc2Pt2
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrTsX1aKmw
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIUTltYwMg
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcY7tYRfBj
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtAP5PNsdX
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1zqac5KKX
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAQg5pxzpt
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡineAU9fLhs
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kOeafTc8x
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolWTmZC8fy
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjlQpw5gUr
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNH0p1mSWUT
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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJlUkaDm07
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAKKudKk95
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJq0RN0EZ7U
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3yCV9KUAl
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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOS6RFe7VuM
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnE6wu4lMp
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfqL07ljd7
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjmwNCiAb9
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnASfy6WlgD
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Jfaiibj5q
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSjhlG6jIc
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHKAQzUusl
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5QiDdpaNg
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZSjw583qX
“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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrre0QmUKVp
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fBHAYB3G5
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tJsKqxwUF
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTvJQcUXWv
“Okay,” she said.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzZGbwJQ5M
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDh27AEidw
“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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76sNXm3nHo
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FpoxljQ5Y
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8i2EdBf2h
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCHSp0PiNt
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6sn9T6MIj
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGI24y9RSR
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsbwsX3vPb
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvWqeBhVNl
“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.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ25n6iB5dE
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQqQ9MjrRN
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeajaSlxvur
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuuGYymHIf
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nRAoT7seR
