"Who are you?"
In the darkness, Barry glanced at the note stuck to the earphones, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.
After thinking it over for a dozen seconds, he scribbled a new note and stuck it on the other side of the earphones.
Then, he slipped back into the shadows.
The next day.
"Oh my God! What did I do?!"
Maria's eyes went wide, hands clapped over her ears, her scream practically a dead ringer for that famous painting, The Scream.
She woke up to find notes stuck on both sides of her earphones, and it felt like the world was caving in.
Thinking back to her wild antics before bed last night, the comedown from her meds hit hard. A wave of dread surged in her chest, her heart pounding like crazy.
How did I even dare to do that?
Maria was terrified, ready to leap out of bed, rush out the door, and beg her family for help.
But then, last night's moment of clarity calmed her down a bit.
She was still standing here, perfectly fine, wasn't she?
So why be scared?
Realizing this, a spark of curiosity lit up inside her, tickling her thoughts.
What did she have to lose? Might as well see what today's note said.
"It's fine, it's fine," Maria muttered, reassuring herself.
Her left hand pressed against her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.
Her right hand, trembling like she had Parkinson's, inched toward the note.
It was a simple task, but it took her a full minute.
When her fingers finally brushed the note, she yanked her hand back like she'd been shocked.
"Someone drawn to you, Barry."
The handwriting was distinct, written in pale yellow letters with some unknown ink. Sniffing lightly, she caught a faint, pleasant scent of grass and wood.
There's actually a reply!
Shock and excitement swirled in her chest, leaving Maria unsure how to react.
"Drawn… to me?" She rubbed the white note between her fingers.
Her chronic lack of confidence left her bewildered. Could someone really be here for her?
Maria couldn't quite believe it. She opened her phone, flipped on the camera, and aimed it at herself.
The screen showed her messy hair, dark circles from sleepless nights, and that classic uncertain look in her eyes.
For a moment, she thought maybe it was time to put some effort into her appearance.
Knock! Knock!
A quick rap at the door.
"Maria?" her mom, Amy, called from outside. "You okay? I thought I heard you yell from downstairs."
"Oh crap!"
Startled, Maria's hand slipped, and her phone smacked her in the face.
Wincing, she gasped and quickly said, "I'm… fine!"
Scrambling to pick up her phone, she stuffed the note and earphones into her backpack.
Opening the door, she faced her mom and mumbled, "Morning, Mom."
Then she bolted to the bathroom.
Surprisingly, today she put on some light makeup to cover her flaws.
When she was done, she clattered downstairs.
She knew if she didn't hustle, she'd miss breakfast.
"Not bad! You're finally starting to face life with some spunk," her dad, Dan Brennan, said with a pleased smile.
If I'd known it'd work this well, I would've had a doctor come by and put her on meds sooner, he thought.
"You're eating better today, sweetie," Amy added, beaming.
Maria gave a small smile and bit into some crispy bacon.
When it was time, she headed out the door.
The school bus pulled up.
And just like that, Maria's good mood tanked.
…
"What do you want?"
—To be friends.
"Do you know me?"
—I know you. You don't necessarily know me.
"How did you find me?"
—Do you believe in gravity? I believe it exists between people. Like how I found you in a sea of faces.
"Why have I never actually seen you?"
—I've been watching you, but you just haven't noticed.
"Are you a ghost? Sneaking around, only showing up at night?"
—Kid, that's not me. In this country, I can hold my head high and say with confidence: I'm human.
…
It was like making a new pen pal. The fresh, exciting experience had Maria looking forward to the notes she'd find each morning.
After getting over her initial fear and realizing Barry meant no harm, she relaxed more.
As their chats deepened, they moved beyond notes.
She started writing questions in her diary, waiting for the next day's replies.
Two weeks passed, and bit by bit, Maria's life gained more color.
She grew more eager to learn about Barry.
She'd asked early on to meet him in person, but Barry said the time wasn't right.
Truth was, he was testing something.
He was observing how Maria's faith in him—starting from nothing—began to form.
Faith didn't need absolute belief or trust to take root.
Even just a name and a vague image could spark faint, scattered faith.
Especially after a few push-and-pull moments, Barry noticed Maria's faith in him actually grew.
It gave him new insight.
No wonder the big shots love playing games like tests, saving people from danger, or showing off their power. It's all about building anticipation.
There were more steps—expanding reach, purifying faith—to make it stronger and purer.
Barry learned as he experimented.
…
That night, after a bath, Maria slipped into comfy pajamas and flopped onto her bed, totally relaxed.
While messing around on her phone, she'd giggle now and then, sometimes getting so excited she'd roll over. If she moved too much, her shoulder would slip out of her top, flashing some skin.
She didn't care—it was her bedroom, after all.
Come to think of it, she hadn't seen her stuffed bear in a while.
She didn't miss it much anymore.
New things replace the old, right?
She'd asked Barry once if he'd seen her bear. His reply?
—The bear's back on Bear Planet, living happily ever after with Mr. Clean.
Maria had been flooded with question marks when she read that.
But at least she got an answer. Knowing her bear was doing fine was enough.
Sprawled on her soft bed, Maria propped herself up on her elbows, her slender fingers swiping across her phone.
Humming a catchy pop tune, she playfully kicked her legs back and forth.
She seemed to be in a great mood.
Lately, she'd started snapping photos of pretty scenery to lift her spirits and add some spice to her life.
As she scrolled through her phone's pictures, she suddenly stopped on one she didn't recognize.
In the photo, she saw herself.
But behind her, Maria faintly made out a human face lurking in the darkness.
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