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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoxQLUH97L
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos1zqXw6sv
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡht0Maw0j1k
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50EthUBAbF
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—428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvh1QTBEHE
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUJTjIGb7w
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9nLmIEWGy
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8HvA8B5r0
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lS5NuJSyp
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MNr9tQpPY
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkH31EglpAH
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9apAgRtb12
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteGC0Sl1js
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtW1QkygPIT
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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2H4YXlOezi
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoK7VyI2c97
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSGZcy5Ofm
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8S2INm9BUa
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLR0Jj4oLah
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZv0AFMzpiR
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12NpK3Vy8s
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EYeYdqODb
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFNxLe3ajH
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGpdN2Mc8u
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLCyydtgDX
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcfuEeMisZ
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCyf9nT8Q1
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFng8id6N1
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XfDI2xA9R
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLe1ZO17DrT
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoiQZ2cLJf
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYp4mcnfqrQ
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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQzKSVQUi9
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuCfuLNtYi
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa9XcX4JKD
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Gc0kGuwpS
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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbPxE6vIEy
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bKpWm6oi3
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPY82Npxfz1
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwk0keJ1ra
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0v5USUI3d
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrB1UFABzNE
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxA63RrUpN
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8sx396V0o
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztxgqPGDCv
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfijatXH7nS
“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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡku1sCmzlSg
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmeJhUiSfk
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfiQLWjGyI
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3XKURL56A
“Okay,” she said.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmaJyOJAoZ
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jJLDw9y9m
“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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLI1bbzbE7
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTFizIYV2S
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnN2pVuHbg
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOs8rVAMtzg
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFalDjYurOd
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSdQBQEXp5
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozb7Gl330U
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUr7ctfAiJy
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9zktNoVBR
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9qsSDcfAE
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSem48NUSvP
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxkQml5Mel
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeHNOZLLkC
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos1zqXw6sv
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡht0Maw0j1k
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50EthUBAbF
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—428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvh1QTBEHE
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUJTjIGb7w
“Hello, Dr. Alder,” Kendall said softly. “How are you?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9nLmIEWGy
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8HvA8B5r0
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lS5NuJSyp
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MNr9tQpPY
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkH31EglpAH
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9apAgRtb12
Her boyfriend looked at me and said, “I think that’s her call, Scott.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteGC0Sl1js
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtW1QkygPIT
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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2H4YXlOezi
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoK7VyI2c97
“He should hear what I have to say,” Kendall said.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSGZcy5Ofm
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8S2INm9BUa
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLR0Jj4oLah
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZv0AFMzpiR
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12NpK3Vy8s
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EYeYdqODb
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFNxLe3ajH
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGpdN2Mc8u
I shrugged. “I guess I’m good at my job.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLCyydtgDX
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcfuEeMisZ
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCyf9nT8Q1
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFng8id6N1
My eyes widened and I knelt down. “Oh, Kendall. What’s wrong?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XfDI2xA9R
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLe1ZO17DrT
She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I’m scared,” she whispered.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoiQZ2cLJf
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYp4mcnfqrQ
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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQzKSVQUi9
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuCfuLNtYi
“Dreams?” I asked. “What kind of dreams?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa9XcX4JKD
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Gc0kGuwpS
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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbPxE6vIEy
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bKpWm6oi3
“Cassie Winters?” I asked, looking up at Christian.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPY82Npxfz1
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwk0keJ1ra
“She went to school with us. My friend’s dad found her body this morning.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0v5USUI3d
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrB1UFABzNE
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxA63RrUpN
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8sx396V0o
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztxgqPGDCv
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfijatXH7nS
“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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡku1sCmzlSg
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmeJhUiSfk
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think you should come back next week and we’ll talk more. Is that okay?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfiQLWjGyI
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3XKURL56A
“Okay,” she said.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmaJyOJAoZ
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jJLDw9y9m
“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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLI1bbzbE7
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTFizIYV2S
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnN2pVuHbg
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOs8rVAMtzg
“Nightmares don’t mean that,” I said. I shook my head. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFalDjYurOd
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSdQBQEXp5
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozb7Gl330U
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUr7ctfAiJy
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9zktNoVBR
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9qsSDcfAE
I leaned forward and waited for her to finish.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSem48NUSvP
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxkQml5Mel
“It means that these dreams, these nightmares, aren’t mine.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeHNOZLLkC
