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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJecNl88Gc
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOE5bXx0tW
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUHrSSNfGT
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92wbwLlj6O
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—393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YjNGB5NbL
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRhiypFq4L
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKYJSMxMtT
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMe6PAjk1xo
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rBN85nVkD
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeehb7H9euT
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhthsrYhJQ
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFwvacNC28
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELASFURjAP
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPVu5LWFvc
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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyKI4xnuQB
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIgQUNASg5
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPfYj5FNgI
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7u8zbftlT
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQvUZKFOmO
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HGTSfwSRB
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI1cXNHURc
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZyqkIBoDY
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsoDpt1SdT
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOR7CWI4u3
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiW8HGS51Ht
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7Lze1YuxF
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMSRMUDuuK
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP6HtU7Y0Q
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3PSlJAqqJ
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24UGZX7Jtn
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL1d3oqLAn
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQHBRK6kio
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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmjTao86gq
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4G9xls1sm
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlqPRWnvWE
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50NVUcRbNR
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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQthxZEWSCw
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPsyWOM1Wh
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9JH9zqdiP
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlgMlmJ91p
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUXw7s8oVs
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDU8QUVY4F
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK96NEuQvzI
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4CUvMtRPQ
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKknm36PHi
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp05CmgVPDF
“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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡto7viPqTPb
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobP6Id1WnL
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTh2bveQjGo
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq4VPPKpj4
“Okay,” she said.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyBcq1fnfJ
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdigTNk43My
“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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kZTRXE5cP
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1fHGb3zzF
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbctMtfw9d4
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWfKqxpNGl
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cNyFuBzh0
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9gjcTXWkH
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ttkqXMTIN
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZvR74raSh
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nQUYA6oNO
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKWbgKmgUh
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCHCExhz7m
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qjz8llUmB
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzs5OJN305r
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOE5bXx0tW
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUHrSSNfGT
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92wbwLlj6O
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—393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YjNGB5NbL
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRhiypFq4L
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKYJSMxMtT
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMe6PAjk1xo
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rBN85nVkD
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeehb7H9euT
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhthsrYhJQ
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFwvacNC28
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELASFURjAP
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPVu5LWFvc
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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyKI4xnuQB
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIgQUNASg5
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPfYj5FNgI
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7u8zbftlT
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQvUZKFOmO
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HGTSfwSRB
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI1cXNHURc
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZyqkIBoDY
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsoDpt1SdT
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOR7CWI4u3
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiW8HGS51Ht
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7Lze1YuxF
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMSRMUDuuK
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP6HtU7Y0Q
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3PSlJAqqJ
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24UGZX7Jtn
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL1d3oqLAn
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQHBRK6kio
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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmjTao86gq
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4G9xls1sm
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlqPRWnvWE
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50NVUcRbNR
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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQthxZEWSCw
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPsyWOM1Wh
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9JH9zqdiP
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlgMlmJ91p
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUXw7s8oVs
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDU8QUVY4F
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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK96NEuQvzI
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4CUvMtRPQ
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKknm36PHi
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp05CmgVPDF
“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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡto7viPqTPb
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobP6Id1WnL
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTh2bveQjGo
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq4VPPKpj4
“Okay,” she said.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyBcq1fnfJ
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdigTNk43My
“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.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kZTRXE5cP
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1fHGb3zzF
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbctMtfw9d4
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWfKqxpNGl
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cNyFuBzh0
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9gjcTXWkH
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ttkqXMTIN
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZvR74raSh
“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.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nQUYA6oNO
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKWbgKmgUh
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCHCExhz7m
393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qjz8llUmB
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzs5OJN305r
