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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQdNTvNxWA
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCf4yEYGNEt
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOdgoHjLP6
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHLCaD2De8
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—392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOdGJoMV8o
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBosyVWxUF
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOS4ZAbt7w
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmpfAnnool
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3w6G9G4ckm
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RKalj8s6i
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhGz1vT0Yc
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sIkQtW0BN
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEvkvpDGG4
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GqyVZnpRj
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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCArLdVUZoL
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1MbrJFOFN
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXsbhUkYnz
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWBfzhu4sZ
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd74TkX29Te
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LFp0FmNKV
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWYuc0m4tX
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1Vk9vuP2j
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6ZacWkVa4
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbD0ZoPmqk
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVVcOvqoSO
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFkOn1gLMa
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipEjk4N4Je
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9JOuCY7Kh
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABDNyrI31s
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd70rLqc9Es
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTYl9JXJEr
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYKwixEWU8
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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodWmW2zldI
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRl4CCTWYQ
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqilPdN9Ioy
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayNlDMRGv0
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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5oAJ0UPVr
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8vFUbIV3m
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhG1H0r7P2z
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZtaCUSBIQ
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiM0l384fTZ
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fyef1u45C
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA45wYa4FNm
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVFwYaZQim
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWRVXg3tct
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXCpyf44vc
“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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXnERWNNil
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6k0FBhxo8J
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ644IrSxIWP
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2v46pB6tD
“Okay,” she said.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwDAbnfvmr
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhowVvjv6QN
“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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDX4bGEByK
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinK5faE9Cb
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdudIDcj2u
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VSEjvnBC7
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGmeMW4cG0
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4CaTO2JKo
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrO7OBdCV8u
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuLsHa8htv
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XEiZVBCuh
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21wmOStDSl
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzArlbxJwzQ
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkvpnnk1Jz
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrynOzuyNB7
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCf4yEYGNEt
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOdgoHjLP6
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHLCaD2De8
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—392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOdGJoMV8o
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBosyVWxUF
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOS4ZAbt7w
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmpfAnnool
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3w6G9G4ckm
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RKalj8s6i
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhGz1vT0Yc
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sIkQtW0BN
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEvkvpDGG4
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GqyVZnpRj
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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCArLdVUZoL
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1MbrJFOFN
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXsbhUkYnz
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWBfzhu4sZ
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd74TkX29Te
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LFp0FmNKV
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWYuc0m4tX
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1Vk9vuP2j
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6ZacWkVa4
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbD0ZoPmqk
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVVcOvqoSO
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFkOn1gLMa
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipEjk4N4Je
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9JOuCY7Kh
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABDNyrI31s
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd70rLqc9Es
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTYl9JXJEr
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYKwixEWU8
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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodWmW2zldI
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRl4CCTWYQ
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqilPdN9Ioy
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayNlDMRGv0
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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5oAJ0UPVr
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8vFUbIV3m
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhG1H0r7P2z
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZtaCUSBIQ
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiM0l384fTZ
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fyef1u45C
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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA45wYa4FNm
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVFwYaZQim
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWRVXg3tct
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXCpyf44vc
“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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXnERWNNil
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6k0FBhxo8J
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ644IrSxIWP
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2v46pB6tD
“Okay,” she said.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwDAbnfvmr
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhowVvjv6QN
“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.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDX4bGEByK
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinK5faE9Cb
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdudIDcj2u
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VSEjvnBC7
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGmeMW4cG0
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4CaTO2JKo
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrO7OBdCV8u
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuLsHa8htv
“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.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XEiZVBCuh
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21wmOStDSl
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzArlbxJwzQ
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkvpnnk1Jz
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrynOzuyNB7
