Dawn was slowly advancing over the town, tinting the rooftops with a colorThe sun
rose golden as the cool breeze heralded a new day. For anyone else, it was an
ordinary morning. For Ephraim, it was the first morning after the pact on the hill.
His chest felt different, as if his heart were beating with a depth it hadn't
before.She had. Each step she took seemed firmer, and yet, more vulnerable.
There was.
returned with a mission, with a message, with a pact… but not a manual. Not a
Map. No clear instructions.
"What's next?" he wondered as he walked towards his house.
He had the feeling that something had been activated within him. A spark. A fire. A
certainty. But he also knew that this awakening would bring trials, questions,
oppositions… and decisions.
When she crossed the threshold of her house, her mother was already awake.
"Where were you?" she asked, not harshly, not reproachfully. Only with concern.
Efraín looked at her. He couldn't tell her everything. Not yet.
But he couldn't lie either.
"I was praying," he replied with partial sincerity. "I needed clarity." His
mother watched him for a few seconds.
Then he nodded, as if he understood more than he was saying.
"Then, son... may God have given it to you," he
whispered. Efraín felt a lump in his throat.
She always supported him, even without knowing it.
After a brief and quiet breakfast, he set off for the temple. He needed to speak
with Samuel, and even more importantly, he needed to see how the members of
his faith circle were doing after the previous night. They had witnessed the
beginning of something. Or perhaps, without realizing it, they had been part of the
reason for his calling.
The temple was more crowded than usual for that early in the morning. EphraimHe
frowned. What was happening?
When she entered, she saw several people crying, others hugging, and still others
deep in prayer. There was tension, but also an atmosphere of genuine seeking.Samuel saw him from the altar and immediately approached.
—I'm glad you arrived quickly— said the pastor. —Something has happened.
"What?" Efraín asked.
Samuel took him aside to speak privately.
"Since last night, several families have started having strange dreams," he
explained. "Some say they saw light. Others, a hill. And others, shadows that
surrounded them but couldn't touch them."
Efraín's heart skipped a beat.
Shadows.
Light.
The hill.
It couldn't be a coincidence.
"Pastor..." he began to say, but Samuel raised a hand.
—Let me finish. Many came with fear. Others, with hope. But all…
They all mentioned that they felt they needed to talk to
you.Efraín was speechless.
-With me?
"With you," Samuel stated earnestly. "I don't know what happened last night on that
hill, Ephraim, but the effect is already reaching the congregation."
Efraín took a deep
breath.The pact.
The
light.
The
load.
It was all just beginning.
—Pastor —he said in a low but firm voice—. I have something to show you.
He took the glossy paper out of his pocket. Samuel studied it carefully. At
first,It looked like an ordinary piece of paper. But when sunlight touched it,
the letters reappeared, revealing the spiritual message.
Samuel put a hand to his mouth."This…" he whispered. "Efraín, where did this come from?"
"From the rock," he replied bluntly. "From the top of the hill."
Samuel closed his eyes, searching for a rational explanation, but he found none.
—Son… this is serious. Very serious.
-I know.
—If this is what I think it is, then you weren't just called… you were marked.
The word "marked" sent a shiver down his spine.
—Marked for what?
Samuel looked at him with a mixture of respect and fear.
—To awaken something. To rekindle the faith of a people whose faith is
fading. ToTo face shadows that are not human. To deliver a message that is
not your own.
Efraín felt the weight of the pact becoming more real. More tangible.
"I don't know if I'm ready," he admitted.
"No one is," Samuel replied, repeating the same words he had used days before.
"But God is. And He walks with you."
At that moment, a woman came running up.It
was Camila.
Her eyes were red, but she wasn't crying. On the contrary, she was agitated, as
ifwould have discovered something urgent.
"Efraín," she said breathlessly. "You need to come to my house."
-What happened?
"My husband..." she swallowed. "I think he saw something last night. He doesn't
want to talk to anyone. He hasn't left his room. He says he's being watched."
Efraín felt a chill.
Shadows.
The same shadows he saw on the hill."Let's go," he said without
hesitation. Samuel stopped him
for a moment.
—Efraín, be careful.
"I'm not going alone," he replied. "I'm
going with Him." And he left the
temple with Camila.
Camila's house was just a few blocks away. From the outside, it seemed normal,
but upon entering, a heavy atmosphere filled the air, as if the place had been
invaded by a dense sadness.
Camila guided him to the bedroom door.
"He won't let me in," he whispered. "I don't know
what to do." Efraín took a deep breath and knocked
gently.
"Luis?" he
called.There was
no response.
—I'm Efraín. I just want to help
you. Silence.
He tried again.
—You are not alone. Nothing can touch you if you don't allow it. God is with you.
A noise was heard inside. Something moved. The door opened just a few
centimeters.
An eye appeared in the
crack.An eye full of fear.
"You…" Luis said, his voice breaking. "You were
there." Efraín took a step back, surprised.—What did you say?
Luis opened the door completely, trembling.—I dreamed of a hill. Of a rock. Of light. And… and of shadows that wanted to
come closer. But you were there… shining. And the shadows couldn't touch me.
Efraín felt the impact of the message like a blow to the chest.
"Luis... that wasn't a dream," she said gently. "It was a warning. But also a
promise."
"A promise?" Luis asked, trembling.
—The light is awakening, Luis. And you saw it. That means you're not lost. But you
have to decide if you're going to let fear imprison you… or if you're going to walk
toward the light.
Luis began to
cry.Efraín hugged
him.
Camila did it too.
For the first time in a long time, Luis let go of his fear instead of hiding it.
When they left the house, Camila wiped away her tears.
—Thank you, Efraín. I don't know what happened to you last night, but… something
changed. I'm sorry.
when you speak.
Ephraim looked towards the hill in the distance.
"Something changed for everyone," he replied.
That afternoon, as he was about to return home, he felt a presence behind him.It
wasn't dark, nor was it cold. It was the same warm presence she had felt the
night of the pact.
He turned around.
A figure stood among the trees.The
messenger.
But this time, his face was more visible. Still blurry, still luminous, butmore defined."Efraín," she said softly. "The pact has begun. And the shadows already know it."
Efraín swallowed.
—What should I do now?
The messenger raised a hand and pointed towards the temple.
—Prepare those who have been touched. You are not called to walk alone… but to
to ignite others.
And the figure disappeared into the light of the
sunset.Efraín took a deep breath.
Their mission had just begun.
And there was no turning back.