Night had completely fallen when Efraín and Tomás returned to the village. The
road was silent, lit only by the old lanterns hanging at the corners. Despite the
darkness, Efraín felt his chest fill with a warm light, as if something inside him had
finally awakened.
Tomás walked beside her without speaking, clutching his notebook to his chest. It
wasIt was obvious he was nervous.
"How long ago did you receive that message?" Efraín finally asked."Today... just before sunset. I found him at my front door," he replied.young man,
without looking up.
—And your parents? Did they see it?
—No. I got home from school and the envelope was there, as if waiting for me.
Efraín took a deep breath. The situation was clear: the messages were no longer
just for him. The "Flame," as he was beginning to call it in his mind, was reaching
others.But why Thomas? Why now? What did it mean?
When they arrived at the small church where they met on Wednesdays, Ephraim
stopped in front of the entrance. Days before, only a handful of people attended.
But after the message on the hill, something inside him told him that tonight would
be different.
"Let's go in," he said. Tomás
swallowed and nodded.
They pushed open the door, and to their surprise, the interior was no longer
empty. There wasSix people sat in silence, as if they had been waiting for them:
Mariana, the lady who always asked for prayer for her family; Miguel, a serious
man who almost never spoke; Ana and Luis, an older couple; and two young
people whom Efraín had not seen before.
Everyone looked at them as they entered, but no one said a word.
"Good evening," Efraín greeted, trying to keep his voice steady.Mariana
was the first to stand up.
"Efraín..." she said in a strange tone, a mixture of relief and expectation. "Today
everyone..."We received something.
"Anything?" he asked, his heart racing.
—A message— said Miguel, and he raised his hand. In it he held an envelope identical
to Tomás's.
The others also raised envelopes. Seven in total, counting Tomás's. Seven. TheThe
number shook him.
Efraín walked to the center of the room, looking at each envelope as if they were
mirrors oftheir own destiny."Can I see them?" he
asked.One by one, they
handed them over.
He opened them carefully. The phrases were different, but the essence was the same:
"The light has reached
you." "Prepare to be a
witness." "Come closer. Do
not be afraid."
"You are not
alone." "Follow
the calling."
Efraín felt a lump in his throat. It was real. It wasn't a coincidence. It wasn't aJoke.
Something—someone—was summoning them.
"And you?" Tomás asked the two new young men. "Did you also receive messages?"
The boys nodded. One of them, with curly hair and very light eyes, spoke:
—We're from a town two hours from here. They told us to come… that we…
We were looking for you.
"Me?" Efraín stepped back slightly.
—Yes. His name was written on the
envelopes. Efraín felt the floor move beneath
his feet.
—Who gave them to you?
"A man," the other young man replied nervously. "Tall, wearing a white shirt. He
didn't tell us his name. He just said to follow him."
Thomas raised his head, pale.
—It's the same one we saw on the hill!
Murmurs filled the church. Efraín had to raise his hand to ask for silence.
He took a deep breath. This time he couldn't run from the call. He couldn't hide. He
couldn't, not evenHe had to ignore what was happening. People were looking for
him, not for himself, but for something he had been chosen to unleash."All right," she said finally, her voice firm. "If you're here, it's for a reason."We need
to find out what it is.
The attendees nodded, attentive, eager.
Efraín continued:
—Tonight we'll do something different. We're going to pray together. Then… we'll go
to the hill.
The murmurs returned, louder.
"To the hill!" Mariana repeated, surprised. "Now?"
"Yes," Efraín replied. "We can't ignore this. If the light is spreading, we must
follow it. We must listen to it. Something awaits us there."
The determination in her gaze managed to calm everyone, even Tomás, who seemed
moreCalm down now.
They gathered in a circle. Efraín took Miguel's hand on his right and Tomás's on his
left.his left. The rest did the same.
"Sir," he began, "we don't understand what you're doing... but we trust in your
Will. If this is yours, lead us. Keep us together. Show us your purpose.
A reverent silence filled the church. As they prayed, the atmosphere changed. It was
nota human emotion. It was something deeper, more serene. Efraín felt a warmth
run through his arms, as if a gentle current passed between them, connecting
them.
When the prayer ended, no one moved for a few seconds. Then, slowly,Everyone
opened their eyes.
But something had changed.
Behind them, in the darkest part of the room, a dim light shone. Small.Delicate.
Like a flame suspended in the air.
Mariana was the first to notice it.
"Efraín…" she whispered. "Look…"
The light began to rise, slowly, floating until it was right in the center of the
Circle. It wasn't fire. Nor was it a reflection. It was… pure light. White. Alive. A flame
It didn't burn, but it illuminated enough to leave everyone speechless.Thomas fell to his knees. Michael covered his face with his hands. The young men
outsideThey took a step back, frightened.
Efraín, however, did not back down. He stepped forward.
"What... are you?" he asked, though he didn't expect an
answer. The flame trembled slightly.
And then it happened.
The light split into three small flames, which floated around the circle, remaining
in front of three different people: Tomás, Mariana, and one of the newly arrived
young people.
The three of them started crying without
understanding why.The light did not speak, but
its message was clear:
There were chosen ones among them.
The meeting ended with everyone deeply moved. There was no doubt. There was
noExplanations. Only faith.
Efraín took a breath, looked at everyone, and declared:
—Tonight… doesn't end here. At midnight we'll climb the hill. The light is upon us.
expecting.
And this time… we'll go together.
They all nodded. There was no fear in their faces. Only determination.
The flame slowly disappeared, as if it had said everything it had to say.
And so, as the church was plunged into darkness, Ephraim understood that the
mission was over.It wasn't just hers.
It belonged to all of them.
And the test was about to begin.