The Examination

On a rainy winter afternoon somewhere in the countryside of Latin America, a

mother, father, and daughter gathered around a table for a meal. Maria, the

daughter, stared at the plate in front of her, lost in her thoughts. To her side sat her

mother and father, eyes closed in prayer, a common practice for the family before

meals.

"Maria my dear, what are you doing?" asked her mother.

Maria lifted her eyes to her to answer.

"I'm a little worried about what you said earlier. Am I really going to go to

that...place?"

"Yes, you are. I'm telling you, it's for your own good!" Her mother tried to comfort

her while stroking her brown hair. The father, eyes still closed in prayer, paid little

attention.

"We will get through this situation, just like all the other things we have dealt with."

Maria listened to her mother's words, frowning in disbelief.

"Do you think what is happening to me is really...that bad?" she said.

"I don't know, my girl, and that's why we are worried. We know nothing about it,

but those people are used to dealing with cases like yours," the mother replied.

At last the father opened and his eyes and invited the family to begin eating. The

meal was a kind of traditional chicken soup popular in the Bahia state of Brazil.

After growing full from their meal, they left the table and went to their separate

rooms. Maria closed her bedroom to give herself a feeling of safety, like many girls

her age. She laid down on her bed and picked up a doll that was standing upright

on the floor.

"Tomorrow is the day, but you know that...don't you?"

Suddenly the doll began to shine with a golden light, and a voice answered, "I

know it, indeed! Of course, they must allow me to go in, too!"

The golden light emanated from the doll, causing it to appear as a faceless

humanoid of pure, glowing light. It turned to her and said, "I think it would do you

a lot of good to stay away from this place for a while. You simply don't fit in here."

Maria replied, "I must fit in here. This is home, and those are my parents!"

"Come on, they don't even care about you! No one knows that better than me. I'm

here 24 hours a day, watching everything – even when you are sleeping," the figure

shot back.

"You watch me sleeping? How weird! Don't scare me like that!"

Noticing the blush in her face, the golden glow laughed and fluttered in the air.

When her mother suddenly opened the door, Maria quickly threw a pillow over the

doll.

The mother looked shocked and was crying. She went to hug her daughter; Maria,

knowing what she was thinking, tried to comfort her.

"Mom, don't worry! I'm OK!"

Her father also appeared in the doorway, a serious expression on his face. He stood

for a time watching his wife crying and hugging Maria. It was a disturbing scene for

him, but one that he realized he could not solve. So, he moved closer to them and

said, "That's enough, come Adélia. We can do nothing about her sickness. Just

have some faith that she will be cured."

Adelia wiped the tears from her face and left her daughter's bedroom. The father

continued looking at Maria as if he were disappointed about something, then he

too left and closed the door.

The glowing figure, who saw the entire thing, followed her parents with his head as

they left the room.

"You surely deserve something better than that."

Maria put her face in her hands, like one who does not know what to do, then slid

them across her hair, as if searching for an answer to give to the glow.

"You know, they became that way after you popped out of my mind," she said.

"I know it, and I 'popped out' of your mind because you're a special person. Ever

since then, I've been taking good care of you. Isn't that true?"

It was already dark as the glow and Maria discussed whether its presence was

positive or not. In the room next door, her parents whispered about Maria's health.

The night was too long for them.

The next day, as usual, Adelia woke up before the sun had even risen and went to

Maria's bedroom to wake her up.

"Come, my girl, wake up! Help me make breakfast."

A thick blanket completely covered Maria. Her mother uncovered her head and

opened the window. Maria slowly awoke, her face still sleepy.

Down in the kitchen, Adelia was boiling water in a wood oven to make coffee. Maria

took some brown roots out of a linen sack and started to peel them, one by one.

Their breakfasts were often like this: coffee and roots.

After a moment, the sun's rays entered and lit up the steel of the kitchen. The morning was slowly fading away, and the roots were cooking; then, a knock on the door. It was the father, who

was wearing rubber boots that were dirty from working on the farm.

"Go feed the cattle, we don't have enough time," he said while looking at Maria.

Without delay, she put on her own rubber boots and walked to the corral where the

cattle lived. A dirt path connected her house to the corral, and large ipê trees

surrounded the area, some with leaves of purple, others with leaves of yellow.

Inside the corral, the animals were not particularly fat; they were normal Santa Inês

goats. The animals approached her when they heard her footsteps on the ground.

She brought the goat rations in a bucket and spread them across the corral feeder,

as she would do every day.

While she was heading back to the house, one of the ipê trees began to shake as if

because of a strong wind. Maria looked up in curiosity to see what was happening,

and from behind the tree came a voice.

"What are you looking at?"

Maria, a bit frightened, looked back and replied, "I knew it was you!"

The yellow glow appeared again, but this time it took the form of a boy her age,

with a red face, as if he were angry. His eyes also burned as if by a festering pain,

but he smiled to her.

"If what you say is true, you shouldn't be so scared!"

Maria blushed after seeing the boy's appearance; when he noticed her blushing, his

smile widened.

"Now you aren't scared anymore, are you? Is it because I'm so handsome?"

She turned her face away, trying to avoid eye contact, and she quickened her pace

toward the house. Her mother was waiting in the door of the house, waving at her

as she approached, and repeating her name, "Maria, Maria! What took you so long?

Your father is already waiting in the car!"

"Sorry, mom..."

"Go, quickly put on your good clothes. We don't want the doctors to think we're a

hick family from these parts."

Maria, obeying her mother, went quickly to her room to change clothes. When she

arrived, she closed the door to the room and looked around suspiciously while

leaning against the door, as if she were searching for something.

"Get out!" she said. Suddenly, the same yellow glow materialized in front of here.

"Why? Why do you always tell me to leave your room at times like this?"

"Doesn't matter! Just leave!"

"As you wish," it said, disappearing into the air. Only then did she feel comfortable

enough to change her clothes.

Her father was in the driver's seat of the car, and her mother was seated beside him

and waving for her to hurry up. As soon as she got into the car, they left. Her father

frowned, focusing on the door in front of them, as they left behind their family

ranch and headed toward the urban of Dias D'ávila.

Tall buildings passed quickly by the car window, a break from the normal view of

pastures that they were used to seeing near their home. A hydroelectric dam

gushed water into a river near the entrance to the town, but it was the town's new

and colorful welcome sign that drew Maria's attention.

"We are getting close, my girl. Remember to be polite and smile. Don't forget to say

'good morning' to everybody you meet," said Adelia, her mother.

Maria nodded her head, looking out the window and enjoying the unfamiliar urban

landscape. Her father remained silent the whole way, until they arrived in the

parking lot and found a spot. The place looked like a medical clinic, the walls were

all painted in white, and the front gate was made of transparent glass. People in

scrubs were walking around.

While still in the car, the father looked back at Maria in the back of the car, and

stretched his arm out to touch her face.

"Goodbye, my girl, we'll be together again soon."

Maria's eyes welled with tears when she heard these words. The father

immediately turned to her mother and said, "Don't delay. I'll be waiting in the car."

Adelia got out of the car and moved the front seat to allow Maria to exit. They

entered through the glass front gate together. Inside, there was a desk near the

entrance, and a receptionist was typing on a keyboard. Adelia approached the desk

and said, "Good morning! I came to bring my daughter."

The receptionist stared at them and asked, "Her name please?"

"It's Maria da Conceição Silva," Adelia answered with a confident smile on her face

as she held Maria's hand. The receptionist got up from the chair and walked to the

other side of the desk to deal with Adelia.

"Adelia Silva, right? Please follow me, Mrs. Silva."

The receptionist walked inside and entered a hall, Adelia and Maria following

behind. Heavy doors at both ends of the hall had only small glass windows,

through which Maria could see the patients. Most of them were simply lying in bed,

as if in a deep sleep. The sight made Maria feel nervous. At the end of the hall, the

receptionist knocked on a wooden door, upon which was written "Dr. Alberto

Costa."

Not long after, a young woman in white opened the door.

A clean-shaven man with square glasses was staring at a computer up ahead. He

noticed Adelia and Maria enter his office and approached them.

"You must be Mrs. Adelia Silva, and you Miss Maria, of course."

"Yes, nice to meet you doctor!" answered Adelia with the same strong smile,

making her cheeks red. Maria stared at the man curiously, squeezing her mother's

hand even harder.

"We are going to take care of this little dear as soon as she is ready," he said.

Still smiling, Adelia turned toward Maria. "Go my girl. Behave yourself. Show them

how well I've raised you."

"I'm not ready yet, Mom!" Maria replied.

Dr. Costa placed a hand on Maria's shoulder and smiled. "You'll be fine, missy. You

will really enjoy your stay here." Maria removed his hand from her shoulder and

looked at her mother with a disapproving expression.

"Don't be rude with the doctor, Maria! He just wants what's best for you!" Adelia

said.

"I'm not ready yet!" she yelled.

Dr. Costa called for one of the young women who

were standing nearby. He whispered something in her ear, and she nodded her

head and left the office.

"Maria, we have something special waiting for you after the examination. You'll

love it! All the other girls loved it when they got it," said the doctor.

Adelia, smiling, looked down at her daughter and squatted down to her level. "You

see? He just wants what's best for you, my love! Don't be nervous, it's just for a few

days."

Maria was still holding her mother's hand tightly, as if she was going to fall off a

cliff. Both the doctor and Adelia were staring at her, waiting for a reply before

starting the procedures. The young woman in white then entered from the back of

the office, holding a cardboard box that had an image of a smartphone printed on

it. She gave the box to Dr. Costa.

"Do you see this, Maria?" he said, placing the box in front of her. "Open it, ncheck

what's inside!"

She looked on in amazement and cautiously bent down and opened the box. It had

the latest generation smartphone, which she had only seen in TV advertisements. It

was something she never dreamed of having. She removed the plastic and tried to

turn it on, but she realized that it needed to be charged first.

"It can all yours if you allow us to do the examination," said Dr. Costa while smiling.

Maria looked at him curiously, wondering what the examination would be like and

pondering whether it would be worth it or not.

"Fine, I'm ready," she said. Adelia then hugged her tight and kissed her forehead,

as if to say goodbye.

"Excellent!" exclaimed the doctor. One of the young women in white called Maria

into another room.

She left her mother, but continue to look back at her, wondering when she would be coming back. The other room was empty, aside from two metal chairs in the middle. The walls

were painted in white, and two rectangular ceilings light emitted a strong white

light that blinded Maria's sight.

"You may sit down here, please," said the woman in white, pointing to one of the

chairs. Maria followed her command and sat. Dr. Costa entered the room after a

short while and sat down in the other chair in front of her. "Ok Maria, let's get

started."

The woman handed him a pad of paper, and took a pen out of the pocket of his

medical coat. "I will be asking you a few questions. Feel free to answer as you

wish."

Maria nodded her head.

"You know why are you here, right?"

Maria nodded her head again.

"Don't feel shy, you can speak to me," he continued. "I assure you, I just want

what's best for you. I will not tell anyone what happens here, not even your

parents."

Maria quickly licked her lips, as if to start talking. "Yes, I know. It's because my

parents think I'm crazy. That's why..." she began.

"I wouldn't say crazy, Maria, but perhaps someone with special needs," the doctor

replied as he wrote something on the paper pad.

"So, I have heard that you can hear strange voices, is that right?"

"Not 'strange voices,'" she said.

The doctor narrowed his eyes, staring at Maria. "Then where does this voice come

from?"

"I don't actually know his name," she replied.

"His name" So it's a boy? the doctor asked.

"Not really...actually, sometimes he is, but..."

"Sometimes he is?" So he can change his form?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

"Maria, is he around now?"

"I...I...I don't know...he..."

"Maria, please concentrate," said the doctor."Take a deep breath, pay attention,

and tell me if he is around." Dr. Costa was still staring at her with narrowed eyes. His

hand was at the ready to write something on the paper pad – he was only waiting

for her answer. Maria avoided eye contact with him the entire time. She looked at

the floor, noticing how clean it was. The silence in the room was oppressive, and

the only she heard was the echo of her own voices.

" better take a break" said Dr. Costa before getting up from his chair. Maria

was a relieved for a moment, but the relief didn't last long. One of the women came

to Maria, asked her to stand up, and took her to another room. Unlike the previous

room, this one wasn't entirely empty. It had a toilet, a sink, a plastic certain

separating it into different sections. There was also a bed, a white closet, and a

ceiling fan – all the amenities that someone would need to live.

"This is your name, uh, Maria?" The woman said while checking a tablet.

"Yes, that's the my name!" the girl replied.

"Excellent! I'm the nurse, Marcia, and I will take care of physiological needs. By that

I mean that I will bring you food three times a day, I will bring mail from your

parents, and I will cut your hair when it grows too long. I will also give you medicine

if you get sick, that sort of thing"

While the nurse was talking, Maria explored the room. She tested the softness of

the bed, turned on the sink, washed her face, and then opened and closed the

curtains. "A new bedroom just for me, only," she thought.

"Thank you" said Maria, smiling, as she sat on the bed.

"Soon I'm going to take you back to Dr. Costa. He will continue your examination.

For now, enjoy your stay" said the nurse.

Maria laid down on the bed, excited to be in the room. The nurse left and locked

the door from the outside.

"Hey, are you here?" Maria whispered, looking around the room. No answer came.

"Hey, answer me! I know you're here somewhere!" Again nothing happened.

She was confused, and a whirlwind of thoughts passed through her mind. Where was

it? What did I do wrong? Am I already cured? It's not possible!

Suddenly she awoke. She had fallen asleep, lost in her thoughts. While she

attempted to come to grips with the situation, she heard someone knocking on the

door.

"Miss Maria? Dr. Costa will continue your examination now" She stretched her

arms and yawned. "How long did I sleep? Maybe more than five hours!" Maria was

shocked; she hadn't realized how long she had slept. She got up from the bed and

tried to fix her hair.

The nurse, one hand behind her back, led Maria into the same room where she had

previously been with Dr. Costa.

"Maria! How are you doing?" Dr. Costa was already sitting in the chair, holding the

same paper pad in his hands, waiting for her.

"I'm doing good, I think" she replied while sitting down in the chair in front of him.

"So, Maria, I will now try something different. I want you to tell me in detail when

you started to hear that voice. Tell me the beginning of it all..."