After Jude had finished telling me he was also a patient of Dr. Alder's, I asked why he was there, like it was the most normal question in the world. Even though I hadn't answered him when he asked, he still gave me some insight to who he was.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTq69qBLZX
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzcgf8vOqg
"My dad thought there was something wrong with me because I didn't like spending all of my free time with him. I wanted to go out with my friends and go to parties, and when I came home drunk once, he said he'd had enough. He called my mom the next morning and they both agreed that I should go see someone. Unfortunately for me, Dallas is an old friend of the family. Doesn't that make my visits all the more special?"472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySLsz3zMmL
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdXXdn11wz
It struck me as odd that he'd call his psychiatrist by her first name, but I didn't say anything about it. Instead I asked, "Does that make it weird?"472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnoLgvH4Pu
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCe8x2Lo4c
"What?" He was in the process of shredding a napkin up and hadn't heard me.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEOE74gj3B
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhMKWGXlJW
"With her being a family friend. Isn't it strange? I mean, if she's so close, wouldn't she have known your problems before you got an appointment with her?"472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWkkccNm9d
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JpLTu0ZOD
"My parents didn't tell her anything. That would be kind of stupid, wouldn't it?"472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1z4EJ68vg
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZP71y1lmCo
"But didn't your parents have to call her?"472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfG1dTdqW7
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXQBJzKNWp
Jude looked at me, the torn napkin forgotten. His eyes held mine for a minute before he said, "Are you trying to ruin my explanation or something? You're the one who asked for it, remember?"472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AUeJTXDzK
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aCY6IkXBJ
I frowned. "Sorry. Go on."472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxEzbabyCJ
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMu1AlwDNB
He smiled, but only slightly, like he was silently thanking me for letting him continue.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmX7hDcHbJ
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVRdPbNUlv
"Anyway, you should have seen her face when I walked into her office. She looked like she forgot who was coming in that day. But when we started talking, she understood things very quickly. I was actually surprised, but I guess in her line of work, she got a lot of nut jobs."472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9BJL9GXNW
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmE4F4EZUTq
I stiffened.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5yvuzN7Dg
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbzh5WTUDC
He blinked at me. "Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Kendall. I didn't mean it like that."472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeRheLffyU
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtJ2bO4Q56
"It's okay." But it wasn't. I just didn't want him to know that.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkt9wYZmPHC
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1zPaxmTeL
Jude looked at me, his head tilted slightly, like he was trying to figure me out. He was going to fail with that one. Then he let out a long sigh and picked up his mug, draining his coffee.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAkREdnT4H
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPSMZLc4cz
"Listen," he said after he finished, "I'm not going to judge you or anything if you tell me your secret. It's not a big deal, really. I bet you're normal compared to some of the patients Dallas gets."472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSVh5SmNeV
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAx5j8EBMdM
"It's not that simple," I said, though my voice was now tight, small. "If I tell you, you might get hurt."472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCuddQEo0j
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHfWmUMPf0
That was when Jude laughed. When he stopped he said, "Please. How the hell can what's already happened hurt me?"472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4HD8Ip5hP
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCR3Hp3goo3
"You don't understand!" I practically shouted in his face, my vision blurring. "I can't tell you what happens because then you're going to go away."472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18BZ1xy5A8
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOb1IBdR4sZ
"Wait." His eyes widened and he leaned forward. "What do you mean 'happens'? Kendall, what's going on?" He reached across the table for my hand, and I let him take it. He squeezed my fingers.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXVrfmU8gM
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorReetwvX6
I looked up at him. I could feel the tears running down my cheeks now. I took a breath and finally told him. Then I wished I hadn't opened my mouth.472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lb0sWcXXw
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4b8VDkAMN
"I have dreams almost every night about killing people, only they aren't my dreams, and now I'm afraid you're going to die, too."472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuw60VdeL7
472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3UBXOn9Cw
Before he could reply, I stood up and ran out. But something stopped me halfway out of the shop. The window, there was something taped to it. I wiped my eyes and looked at the white piece of paper. The words MISSING PERSON were typed in big, bold letters on the top of the page, and underneath was a picture. A picture of someone I knew.