"You've had my attention for a long time, Maria. You can't escape me."
His golden eyes gleamed with dazzling light as his strong arms wrapped tightly around Maria. His warmth felt like it could melt her completely.
In the freezing winter air, Maria felt her body burning up, like she was running a fever.
"No! There's too much of a gap between us—you're a demon, and I'm just human. We can't be together."
Maria's rejection came out strained and trembling.
"Hmph! I won't allow you to reject me. Don't forget who you are—we're bound together for life. Do you even know what forever means?"
Barry's domineering voice rang out as he pulled her closer, their faces only inches apart now. Their breaths mingled, and Maria felt dizzy from the heat rising between them.
"I... I'll grow old one day. You'll see me wrinkle and fade, while you'll stay the same—young and perfect. I can't live with that."
Tears welled up in Maria's eyes. She pushed Barry away and a single drop fell onto the frozen ground, shattering like glass.
"No, Maria, you're wrong. No matter what you become, you'll always be beautiful to me—always the one who makes my heart race. You're carved into my memory, forever."
Barry's gaze was deep and sincere, filled with emotion that nearly took her breath away.
"I... I—" Maria's voice faltered. She didn't know what to say.
"The power of love is limitless. It makes me capable of anything."
As he spoke, Barry's eyes flared with dark red light that shot into the sky.
The moon, just rising above the horizon, exploded in a burst of light.
"See that? That's how strong I am!" Barry roared. The heavy clouds split apart, leaving a glowing hole that made the night sky as bright as day.
"But there must be something you can't do," Maria whispered.
"No! Anything I want to do, I can," Barry insisted. He took a few steps forward, gently taking her hand. "Even if that day comes, I'll age with you—slowly, together."
"Barry!"
"Maria!"
Their faces drew closer until their silhouettes overlapped—
"Oh my god!"
Not far away, a woman identical to Maria—Aileen—watched the scene unfold with an exasperated face.
"Ugh! I can't watch this! It's so cheesy! And it's literally part of my other self's fantasy! How embarrassing!"
She covered her eyes with her hands, though the gaps between her fingers betrayed her curiosity.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A loud, sharp honk shattered the moment.
Maria's fantasy broke apart as she turned toward the noise—right there on the frozen lake sat a full-sized school bus.
At the wheel was a man in a filthy cowboy hat, his face covered in burn scars. He leaned out the window, grinning.
"Ugh, can't stand this! You kids sure have wild imaginations—almost as vivid as your old Uncle Freddy's!"
Everyone turned to stare at the strange intruder.
"Who the hell are you? This isn't your scene!" Aileen yelled, clearly annoyed that her entertainment had been interrupted.
"Kids, I'm Uncle Freddy—your nightmare!"
"Never heard of you. The only uncle I know is Uncle Barry," Aileen shot back, glaring. This guy was clearly an unwanted guest who had barged into the dream.
He had to go.
"No one's going to hurt Maria."
Aileen's tone turned cold. She pulled a knife seemingly out of thin air and started toward the bus.
"Kids shouldn't be falling in love—time for school!"
Freddy cackled, slamming his foot on the gas. The bus roared forward, barreling straight toward Maria.
"No!" Aileen screamed, sprinting forward.
The bus moved impossibly fast, covering the distance in seconds—only a few feet away now.
Danger!
"Barry!" Maria cried.
Biu!
Two crimson beams shot from Barry's eyes, blasting the bus apart in an instant. Shrapnel flew in all directions—but none came near Maria, as if an invisible shield surrounded her.
Freddy barely escaped the explosion, his back shredded by flying metal.
"Cough—cough! You kids really hate school that much? You didn't have to blow up the damn bus! I'm calling your parents—"
Before he could finish, another red beam flashed—and Freddy was reduced to ashes on the spot.
Just before disintegrating, he heard Barry's cold voice:
"Insignificant insect."
Damn it! How dare this guy treat him like dirt—in his own domain?
But as the ashes scattered, Freddy reappeared elsewhere in the dream, eyes blazing with hatred.
"I won't accept this. I am the true master of dreams."
Freddy's body swelled to a colossal size, like a skyscraper. He raised one massive foot to crush Barry and Maria.
"How dare you challenge me! You insignificant fool—die!"
Barry waved his hand, and a titanic phantom palm appeared in the air, swatting Freddy flat like a mosquito.
"No way! How can he be this strong?!" Freddy's shredded remains whispered weakly from the snow. "This doesn't make sense... why is this dream version of Barry so powerful?"
Because Maria's subconscious believed he was that powerful—and in her dream, belief was reality.
"Wow, Barry, you're amazing! I love it!" Maria squealed like a fangirl, her eyes full of admiration.
"You like it? It's all for you," Barry said softly, his arrogance melting into tenderness.
Nearby, Aileen lay dazed on the ground, wounded by the blast, mentally defeated by the absurd drama playing out before her.
A few minutes later, Freddy decided to get serious.
If he couldn't win with surreal dream logic, he'd rewrite the dream itself.
He invaded Maria's subconscious code and altered the rules—turning it into a grounded, realistic setting. No flashy powers, no explosions, no godlike strength.
Just pure, physical combat.
With his own deadly skill and a few passive abilities still running in the background, Freddy grinned confidently.
This time, he thought, I'm going to win.