"Day 28.

It's been a week since Stella said those four famous words: "I'm in love with you".

I've been avoiding Stella for a week, so I don't have to mention those four famous words.

The only time we meet, we don't speak to each other. We barely look at each other. It's become very strange between us.

Even if I don't want to, I still keep an eye on Stella and I noticed that Ben took the opportunity to make himself more present with her. Seeing them both reminds me of their shared past, and I cannot accept it.

Luckily, I can count on Freddie not to turn the tables. We spend our days, outside of group sessions, working on the herbarium to be able to win the contest. Like Freddie, it has become my goal to avoid thinking about all the negativity that surrounds me and my dreams go astray on Stella's side. Like right now...

I feel like I'm becoming a full-fledged resident with a real problem. Except I don't need to psychoanalyze my brain to identify it: it's blond with a very pretty face. The prettiest thing I've ever seen...

I have to get my act together. It's not okay. This notebook, where I had to reap the fruits of my research, gradually turned into a diary. Certainly, my research has been fruitful and I have to build a good story for my character, but, now, I feel I have found more than simple answers to my questions without much interest in the end. I never thought I'd befriend someone like Freddie, or... know someone like Stella. At first, I only saw these people as potential interesting stories for my immersion. Now I know I was wrong all along. And I feel bad. I feel guilty for using Freddie as a research topic. I am such a dick! There are millions of stories on the Internet that could have been useful to me, without using my friend's revelations. I should have listened to Dr. Gallagher and talked to the medical staff. I would have had facts, and that would have been more than enough.

I should call Gibson and tell him I want to get out of here. I think my immersion may be coming to an end. For the coming month, I would be content to draw on the countless stories that the web can tell me. Of course, I don't want to leave Freddie behind. Maybe I could take care of him. I've thought about that, but would I be able to? He was badly hurt by life and his reactions outside could be any other. Perhaps with a suitable treatment..."

I sigh and close my notebook. I cross my hands behind my head and just turn around in my chair. I don't know what to do. Freddie is in a one-on-one with Dr Graham and I have no desire to go to the workshop. The herbarium's almost done, and I think I can spend a day without going in there.

At that moment, as if the higher powers had heard my desperate call, my phone starts to vibrate and I can only smile when I see the completely crazy photo that appears on the screen.

"Hello, little sister! I clamour, with enthusiasm.

"Finally, you pick up the phone! I was starting to get worried!" Mercy shouts on the other end of the phone.

I missed her little high-pitched voice. It is true that she called me several times during the last two weeks, but I never thought to call her back. Too many things were bothering me. I roll my eyes while hearing her rebuke me.

- I am sorry. I have been quite busy lately, I sigh.

"So tell me!" she says. "I want to know everything. Last time, you told me about an immersion for your role. How is it going? Give me all the details."

I do not share her enthusiasm.

"Well... I'm in a luxury psychiatric institute. And... there you go!" I'm just answering. "There's not much excitment going on around here. I spend my days in the library researching and building my character."

For any answer, Mercy is content with a silence.

"Hero... I know you. What's wrong?" she asksme, her enthusiasm having reached my gloom. "It's not going well, is it?"

I can hear the worry in her voice. I want to tell her everything I have on my heart, but I don't want to ruin her day.

"It's fatigue", I'm lying. "No, it's going great. Sometimes the atmosphere is a bit heavy, but... I mean, you see what it's like in a mental hospital..."

"Are you sure that's all there is?" she insists.

I'm this close to collapsing, but I close my eyes to repress a sob.

"Hero, you're a very good actor, but a terrible liar," Mercy says. "Even though I'm far away, maybe I can help you. Talk to me."

I can't do it.

"Listen, I have to go. There's a... well, I have to go. I'll call you back later, okay?"

- Wai...

I am not giving her time to say anything that I am hanging up. On the one hand, I am very happy to have been able to hear my sister's voice, because I miss her terribly, but on the other hand, I cannot tell her everything that is going on here.

After taking a deep breath, I get up and leave my room. The more I walk down the hall, the more panic I sense on the ground floor. Intrigued, I go down the stairs to find out what's going on. I'm surprised to see police talking to Dr Gallagher. When he sees me, he calls me and invites me with a wave of his hand to approach him. But what does he want from me?

"Ah, I was looking for you!" he exclaims, panicked.

"I was in my room... But what's going on?" I ask him while looking around me, without understanding what this circus of police officers is all about.

"Have you seen Stella?"

- No... why ?

I frown, apprehensing the answer. After a few seconds of silence, he announces to me:

- Hero... Stella is missing.

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