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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVA1ToEmQXM
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoKdQnl18g
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTG0duJTHnb
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEfYnaHkaj
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—424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1Mz3UcbB7
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkBqGsjTJ9
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9jdT5Tl2V
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBmTE0GQex
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqpN1Bx0q9
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVxnsfwP28
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhB4o7ELfS
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnUGsdY1Z8
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyz4TZMsRS
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLNMhfTntk
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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1h3D0R7mQ
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWarCVoOqz
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoRlJbJoGT
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡou6N7TyTL2
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy49E1yGCSy
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvo4adgC1Sy
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xD3UIPBmz
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotnJwHG5yh
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcgTgSfYgN
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavSMUIIVKp
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPEzjEFkxY
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq479jjCQ9V
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiPLLRGMzl
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GIYfGZDYp
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxM0QDAwOW
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonv1t4HxH6
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8ss6qydUO
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1m3DLMeAEw
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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSXVInm59T
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qqa9Y3scH
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡune4vRoyrE
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpjBrvebsC
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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSQzrpfz5E
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtNfYSW4Bh
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycfRxBanNj
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfMfiY9RMI
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxJCvPmSqQ
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtiVL3rwBM
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0scQo7L3p
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvPg2s4zIX
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GY4XHf5ij
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41GEMw1CQF
“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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttyb1cuGDF
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNdMykPVYK
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfHa69fOD4
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNmV0BpA3j
“Okay,” she said.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡss3wxx7Skr
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXTuBGnoem
“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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGO6IX6Gmj
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgyVe1Ty2jN
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DVlwyeFQo
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mzRU0GVcy
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxs69IZp9Bo
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7GPWlecQ1
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaOMBUWTId
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCi8goQJ7GL
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡek3ULrGlEI
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQVHiZyR7e
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYP2PPPrar4
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDntiA4aAqB
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZpKGGxnej
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoKdQnl18g
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTG0duJTHnb
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEfYnaHkaj
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—424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1Mz3UcbB7
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkBqGsjTJ9
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9jdT5Tl2V
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBmTE0GQex
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqpN1Bx0q9
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVxnsfwP28
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhB4o7ELfS
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnUGsdY1Z8
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyz4TZMsRS
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLNMhfTntk
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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1h3D0R7mQ
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWarCVoOqz
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoRlJbJoGT
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡou6N7TyTL2
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy49E1yGCSy
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvo4adgC1Sy
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xD3UIPBmz
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotnJwHG5yh
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcgTgSfYgN
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavSMUIIVKp
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPEzjEFkxY
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq479jjCQ9V
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiPLLRGMzl
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GIYfGZDYp
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxM0QDAwOW
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonv1t4HxH6
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8ss6qydUO
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1m3DLMeAEw
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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSXVInm59T
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qqa9Y3scH
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡune4vRoyrE
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpjBrvebsC
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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSQzrpfz5E
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtNfYSW4Bh
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycfRxBanNj
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfMfiY9RMI
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxJCvPmSqQ
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtiVL3rwBM
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0scQo7L3p
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvPg2s4zIX
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GY4XHf5ij
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41GEMw1CQF
“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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttyb1cuGDF
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNdMykPVYK
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfHa69fOD4
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNmV0BpA3j
“Okay,” she said.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡss3wxx7Skr
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXTuBGnoem
“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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGO6IX6Gmj
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgyVe1Ty2jN
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DVlwyeFQo
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mzRU0GVcy
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxs69IZp9Bo
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7GPWlecQ1
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaOMBUWTId
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCi8goQJ7GL
“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.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡek3ULrGlEI
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQVHiZyR7e
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYP2PPPrar4
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDntiA4aAqB
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZpKGGxnej
