Several days of uncertainty passed in every corner of the planet.

  The news was full of it all: people displaying supernatural abilities, inexplicable events, earthquakes, lights in the sky, and a collective fear spreading like a silent disease. What had begun as mere rumors had become an undeniable truth. The world was no longer the same.

  Humanity found itself facing a change that did not ask for permission.

  And in the midst of that global confusion, there was only one alternative they would have to take by force: accept it and adapt.

  In another corner of the world, far from the chaos of big cities and the media frenzy, calm still reigned, fragile but real. There, the three friends met in one of their homes as they used to do before it all began.

  The midday sun beat down on them as they tossed a small plastic ball, taking turns catching it with force and precision, apparently a “normal” game among them, which served as a way to distract themselves without having to use any electrical device.

  "They say there are people who can now move things with their minds," Dante remarked, throwing the ball harder than necessary.

  —YES, or that lights come out of their hands —added another.

  "Although we don't know what's true and what's false, or if they're exaggerations. The internet is full of nonsense when things like this happen," Will replied, sitting down and looking at his phone as he searched for information about people who had experienced physical changes, because something like that had happened to him, although for now it was something as minor as his eyes.

  The game continued calmly while the other two listened to Will, who began to read aloud a news story that the country had just published on all its social media and news outlets:

  “In different cities across the country, studies are beginning to be conducted on people who show signs of physical or mental impairment that could be harmful to them or their loved ones.

  Governments are seeking to understand the global phenomenon that some have begun to call resonance or congruence… the latter term being repeated more frequently in multiple individuals who have been found to have mental changes.”

  The three of them looked at each other, filling the room with silence.

  —Look, they're doing exams in the capital, what if we go and see what they tell us?

  —Are you sure you want to take the exam too? Because it seems like something really strange only happened to Dante and me.

  —Yes, I know, but that day I also felt strange, like lighter and stronger, but… I don't know how to explain it, I feel something strange, I feel like my body is at its maximum.

  —And that's strange? Strange enough to warrant an examination?

  After a second of silence, the boy held the ball in his hands, looking into his teammate's now golden eyes.

  —Yes, that's how I feel, yes. I know my body… and something changed.

  Two days after making that decision, the three of them were already on their way to the nearest city, driven by Damian's father.

  "Are you in any pain or feeling unwell?" asked Damian's father, who, although quite skeptical about everything that was happening, remained worried about his son and his friends. They might not have powers, but they could be sick.

  —The letters give me a headache.

  —My eyes have changed, I like how they look, but I know it's not normal.

  —And I feel stronger and haven't had any problems with asthma these days.

  The father seemed a little surprised by his statement, since his asthma problem had been with him since childhood.

  —But that's not so bad, is it? It's better if you feel stronger, isn't it?

  —Yes, but they say that change isn't always good.

  —Even so, your body changing from one day to the next can't be a good thing… The body does change over time, yes, but not that fast.

  Upon arriving at the city hospital, they had to wait a long time before being seen. It was surprising how many people also wanted to know the truth, some out of simple paranoia and others… just wanting to confirm something they already knew.

  Once the wait was over, the three boys were separated to conduct personal interviews with each of them and analyze their cases more precisely.

  Interview 1

  A doctor with her hair tied back and a kind face received him in a small white room.

  "Relax, this is just a preliminary interview," he said as he turned on a recorder. "Could you tell me your name and age?"

  —My name is Damián Segovia and I am 16 years old.

  "Good." The doctor barely smiled. "Tell me, have you felt any changes in your body in the last few days? Anything out of the ordinary?"

  The boy was left thinking.

  —Yes… I feel like I have more energy or stability. The other day I did a perfect, really high kick… and when I realized it, it didn't hurt at all. I know I'm not that flexible to do that, I know it's not much, but since that moment everything in my body has felt different, like some of my flaws have disappeared.

  The doctor observed him closely, taking notes.

  —Pain, dizziness, ringing in the ears?

  —No, nothing. On the contrary… I feel stronger.

  She wrote something else and sighed.

  —We've been seeing a lot of cases like this lately. If you notice your reflexes changing or you have sudden urges, don't try to force your body. Just wait for the results, okay?

  He nodded, though inside he felt a mixture of excitement and fear.

  Interview 2

  In another room, a doctor with a deep voice and dark glasses turned on a camera.

  —Name and age, please.

  —Wilson Mravicich, 17 years old.

  —Very well. I see that your eyes are different from those in the photo on your ID and you're not wearing contact lenses, so tell me: when did you notice this change?

  —Three days ago… At first I thought it was some optical illusion caused by the light, but it didn't disappear.

  The doctor leaned slightly forward and observed him.

  —Can you describe how you feel?

  "It's strange... because apart from that, I consider myself an ordinary human being," he exclaimed, shrugging his shoulders with a hint of disappointment.

  The doctor, after a quick glance into the child's eyes, took notes.

  —Any emotional changes? Nightmares, voices, sleep disturbances?

  The boy shook his head calmly.

  —No, the truth is that I've been sleeping better these days.

  The doctor stopped writing for a moment. Then he simply wrote something else and said:

  —Thank you. That's all for now. You'll then proceed to the medical examination area.

  Interview 3

  Her room was smaller. A young nurse smiled at her as she reviewed her file.

  —Well, it looks like you came with your friends. Can you tell me your name and age?

  —Mravicich Dante and I are 17 years old.

  —Very well. Tell me, have you noticed anything strange lately?

  —I don't know if it's strange… but sometimes I see things floating in my eyes. Like letters or symbols floating in the air, but not in a random way, more like they were typed on a keyboard.

  The nurse looked at him in surprise.

  —Symbols? What kind?

  —They look like numbers or codes, like on a computer, but I think the other day it was saying something like "start" or "starting" until it disappeared. Since then I've been seeing a lot of numbers and letters that don't mean anything.

  The nurse wrote slowly.

  —And how do you feel when that happens?

  —Dizzy, although sometimes I feel like I know those symbols.

  She remained silent for a moment and then smiled gently at him.

  —Well, don't worry. They're going to do more tests, but you're fine. You don't have a fever or any dangerous symptoms.

  The boy nodded, but his mind kept replaying those seemingly random codes. One combination kept repeating in his head; a few words he could barely make out before they faded away.

  During the eye tests, they shone a flashlight into his eyes, and one of the examiners lingered for a few seconds longer than usual. They didn't say anything to him, but their faces betrayed some confusion.

  After finishing the physical tests, Damian noticed curious glances from the doctors in the other room, along with some murmurs. They seemed to be discussing one of his physical tests.

  "During the blood test, I barely took out the syringe and the wound closed, it didn't even bleed."

  The boy seemed to hear them clearly despite the distance and stayed close to the door of that room, but there was something else: his shadow seemed to slip through the door.

  "The other one... except for the eyes, seems completely normal."

  "Wow, we're leaving!" Damian jumped slightly when he heard Will.

  —Y-yes, let's go.

  Upon leaving, some doctors informed them that the final results would take several weeks to be confirmed due to the immense number of people undergoing the same tests.

  Taking advantage of the trip, the three of them, on the recommendation of Damian's father, went for a walk along the city's coast, which was quite touristy due to its length and picturesqueness, something the boys took advantage of to explore it while trying to distract themselves on a long walk.

  The sky was gray and the damp wind foreshadowed a possible storm approaching from the coast.

  Everything seemed calm as the river waves crashed against the shore… until a loud crash shattered the tranquility.

  A few meters from where the boys were walking, in a building that was under construction, debris began to fall from the upper floors.

  People gathered, curious and intrigued by the noise, trying to understand what was happening. Workers were shouting from inside, and some managed to run out. Suddenly, a second-floor cement wall collapsed, pushing several workers down two stories onto the concrete below, covering the street in dust and stones.

  From inside the building emerged a man with a disheveled beard, his face distorted by fury, but on the left side of his face a deep wound could be seen, from which his blood flowed like a miniature waterfall, giving him an even more disturbing appearance.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  His hands trembled and the ground around him vibrated as if responding to his rage; it seemed as if the building could collapse at any moment.

  —Get out of my head…! OUT! OUT! OUT ALL OF YOU!

  Chaos erupted. People ran, thinking it would be like those other monsters they'd seen on television, while others came closer to watch; screams filled the street.

  But there were some who, against all logic, began to record, perhaps out of morbid curiosity or for fame, as if this were an opportunity for them, who knows for what.

  The three boys also began to back away, thinking of escaping, because although they shared a wild nature, they weren't foolish enough to get themselves into a situation like this... or so they assumed. But Damian stopped abruptly, looking at the building with fear and indecision.

  His heart was beating so hard you could almost hear it pounding.

  I could clearly hear the screams inside the building, the people trapped, the fear of the individuals, but above all I saw how no one tried to "help".

  "Damian? What are you doing?" shouted one of his friends.

  Barely reacting to what his friend was about to do, upon hearing it, Dante also turned around with his eyes wide open, stopping abruptly as well.

  "There are a lot of people inside..." she said in a trembling voice while in her mind she was screaming (SHIT!), before starting to walk towards the building, passing by the people who were fleeing.

  —Damian, what the hell are you doing! —Seeing that he really wanted to help, they both reluctantly followed him, but without leaving him alone.

  "Let's help!" said Damian as he helped a worker to his feet.

  Before entering the building, the three helped the injured people in the surrounding area escape, assisting them so they could walk to a safe place, until only the screams of people could be heard from inside the building.

  Once inside the building, the dust was so thick they could barely see. They helped the workers who couldn't find the exit to get out, using a metal sheet as a shield against the pieces of cement that were falling due to the tremors.

  Suddenly, a roaring sound shook the place, causing more debris to fall.

  That man with a thick beard descended to the first floor, moving the cement as if it were an extension of his body, almost causing the stairs to collapse.

  As soon as he arrived, he made his presence known by throwing a worker against a wall, generating the horrible sound of flesh crashing against the cement surface.

  The three ran to try to help him, but a warped stone wall stopped them in their tracks.

  "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" roared the man, panting, tired, and bleeding. "Get out!"

  Followed by another bloodcurdling scream from deeper inside the building that could freeze anyone's blood.

  But Damian felt his body react before he could think: he grabbed a hammer from the floor and ran into the building, catching the bearded man's attention.

  "Will, please don't follow me! Help the other guy!" he said, almost pleading. Even so, Will wanted to follow him, but Dante abruptly stopped him by grabbing his arm.

  —You also heard how it hit the wall, let's get it out first.

  Chunks of rock floated around the man, vibrating and falling chaotically. His face seemed to be suffering a mental breakdown, oscillating between various tics, and his neck twisted in rage, as if he couldn't control it.

  At the place where the screams were coming from, the boy was helping a worker walk who had a leg torn from the inside out.

  Before he could react, the ground rose up beneath his feet and blew them to pieces, but the boy managed to land steadily without getting hurt.

  As soon as he could, he took cover behind a nearby column as pieces of cement flew towards him, shattering against the pillar and making it shake.

  He felt his heart pounding in his chest, his breath coming in short gasps, as if his lungs were failing him again like before. His fear was real and palpable.

  But it was also that strange sensation inside his body, as if every heartbeat could be felt in every part of him; his hands were trembling, but he felt that impulse telling him: move now… move!

  He took a deep breath, gripped the hammer tightly, and threw himself to the side of the pillar. Debris grazed his head; stones flew in front of him. Perhaps it was the adrenaline, but he reacted quickly enough to dodge them.

  As soon as he could, he managed to throw the hammer with all his might.

  The impact on the man's chest made him writhe in place for a few moments.

  Once again, her body told her: Move!

  The boy ran towards him and tackled him, managing to overpower the man.

  "Now!" he shouted in his mind as he saw the opportunity to end all that mess.

  In a swift movement, he positioned himself behind him, managing to trap him in a chokehold around his neck, using all his strength to subdue him, trying to keep him still so he could put him to sleep.

  Desperate, the man clawed at the boy's arms with all his might, but they wouldn't budge. Enraged by the lack of air, he used the cement beneath them to push them in another direction, desperately trying to make the boy release him, but despite everything, the child wouldn't give in.

  "HAGHT! Stop…!" the man shouted, his voice breaking, between gasps.

  His eyes were wide open, filled with fury and pain, with blood running down his forehead mixed with sweat.

  Suddenly, the ground shook.

  A muffled roar rippled through the building as if something alive were stirring within its foundations. The walls creaked, dust rained down from above, and the air grew heavy, making it difficult to breathe.

  The debris around them began to float a few inches, vibrating with a wild and uncontrollable energy. The metal beams twisted with a terrifying screech, and the concrete cracked beneath their backs.

  The man clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

  She managed to scream, through tears and rage:

  —I just… want it to stop!

  The echo of his voice mingled with the roar of the structure.

  For a moment, everything seemed to collapse.

  Suddenly, the ceiling lights exploded one after another, throwing up flashes that illuminated the chaos.

  The pieces of glass fell like glittering rain and, in a matter of seconds, the place was enveloped in thick darkness, with a shadow covering them both.

  The boy felt his body tremble, not just from fear… but from something else.

  A voice, or perhaps a thought, crept into his head. Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be his own.

  “No… no… stop… go away, I want… I want you to leave!”

  She could clearly feel the man's despair, as if it were inside his head. They were fragmented thoughts, full of sadness and rage, that seemed to scream silently within his mind.

  The tremor intensified. The ground heaved one last time, the walls cracked, and a nearby column collapsed with a deafening crash.

  And then, as quickly as it began, everything stopped.

  The man fell unconscious, his eyes rolled back and his hands trembling.

  A final breath escaped from his mouth before he completely collapsed, unconscious from lack of air.

  The silence that followed was almost unreal. Only the echo of falling debris could be heard, and the boy's racing heartbeat slowly slowed, barely able to process those last moments that still swirled in his mind.

  "It's over," her breathing was deep and heavy as she slowly loosened her grip, moving to the side and looking up at the ceiling to calm her mind.

  "Done... it's finished..." He let out one last long sigh.

  Once he stood up again, he noticed that the building was still shaking as if it were about to partially collapse, although it was no longer because of the bearded man.

  A thought flashed through his mind: "Where is the other one?"

  He went to find him just as quickly. He grabbed him by the armpits and started dragging him toward the exit.

  As they moved forward, a sharp sound made him turn around.

  When he looked back, he saw several cement blocks falling near the bearded man, still unconscious.

  Without thinking, he walked towards him and grabbed the bearded man by his uniform, pulling with all his might, dragging them both towards the exit, dust covering his face and settling painfully into his wounds.

  The situation outside was pure chaos: sirens, shouts, and police blocking the entrance so that no one else could approach.

  The officers looked toward the building with genuine fear, but they didn't dare enter; they seemed to be waiting for someone else to arrive.

  Seeing the boy stagger out with two half-fainting workers, several people rushed to help him. They surrounded him, took him by the arms, and pulled him away from the rubble, while others assisted the workers.

  But upon recognizing the bearded man's face, a worker shouted to the police and onlookers that he was the one responsible. Within seconds, they violently subdued him, even though he had barely regained consciousness, in a mixture of fear and rage.

  They tied his hands, pressed him to the ground, and made no effort to restrain the crowd, which directed all its anger against him.

  Damian, panting and covered in dust, watched the scene in silence. He felt a mixture of confusion and a desire to intervene somehow. But… would it be fair? That man caused it all and risked so many lives, but…

  He didn't have time to process it.

  His two friends grabbed him by the shoulders, almost by force.

  "Let's go, quickly!" Dante shouted, his voice breaking.

  The boy looked back one last time, towards where the man was being taken by the police, followed by a crowd of cell phone cameras.

  They all seemed unhinged, paranoid, fearful of anyone who might be influential.

  Without saying anything else, the three ran towards the city center, trying to get away from the chaos.

  Still dazed, his heart pounding in time with the tremors he still felt in his chest, as the adrenaline subsided he began to feel his multiple wounds on his back, with the horrible sensation of a burning pain running through each of his injuries that covered his entire back full of scratches covered in dust that only increased that terrible sensation.

  "Call my dad, he has my backpack... I feel a strong squeeze in my chest," he said with what little air his lungs could give him.

  They ended up sitting on a sidewalk waiting while Will called Damian's father, who had his body hunched over, resting his head on his knees and breathing with difficulty.

  —What's wrong? Do you need your inhaler?

  —YES… it's becoming… very difficult to breathe.

  He spoke slowly and with pauses, not wanting to use more air than necessary. Seeing him like this, Dante placed his hand on his shoulder, careful not to touch those wounds that burned so much.

  —?Sssssssss!

  —I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

  He quickly withdrew his hand. Not knowing what to do, he stood up to talk to Will, who was giving Damian's father the address.

  —Hey, damn it, you'd better take off your shirt, you'll burn less.

  —No way, we're right in the city center, I'll wait until my dad gets here.

  They both laughed at their friend's shyness, easing the tension of the moment.

  The scene dissolved as if time itself had changed the channel.

  The echo from the street faded away, replaced by the sound of a click and the soft beep of the monitors.

  Now, in a large, sterile room, the air smelled of metal and electricity.

  Hundreds of screens covered the walls, displaying graphics, lines of code, and moving biological scanners.

  At the center of that technological sanctuary was a single figure sitting in a reclining chair under the blue light of the monitors.

  She was a woman with long, straight black hair that fell to her waist. Her figure, with its soft, defined curves, was most striking in the upper part of her torso, concealed beneath a tuxedo buttoned up to the neck. Far from detracting from her seriousness, it enhanced her firm and professional bearing. Her eyes were not visible: she wore a completely black visor that only reflected the information on the screens in front of her.

  In contrast, looking even further down, one could see heavy gloves, made of pure metal, moving across the screen with surgical precision, opening and closing files one after another.

  Each document showed results of the analyses performed on the so-called Convergents.

  The door opened, letting in a cascade of light along with a man in a dark suit.

  "Have you run into anyone you know?" he asked, stopping a few steps away.

  "No," she replied without taking her eyes off the visor. "And I doubt I will anytime soon."

  —Apparently, the Resonants seem to inherit only a few isolated characteristics, vague reminiscences… As if the footprints were incomplete. Finding… any knowledge will be… delayed.

  The man nodded resignedly and left, leaving the woman alone again, accompanied only by the cold flickering of the screens.

  A few seconds passed before, almost out of habit, I opened another file.

  The names on screen were commonplace, as were their appearances: Damián Segovia, Dante Mravicich, William Mravicich. She reviewed them without much interest, skimming through the reports with a slight movement of her hand, quickly reading the boys' information to herself, without any surprise.

  But when he got to Will's file, just before moving on to the next one as was routine, something caught his attention: a few simple words.

  She stepped back a little and reread only the sentence from the interview transcript: “I consider myself an ordinary human being.”

  —Mmm…

  He frowned under his visor as he read the file and, purely on instinct, quickly flipped to Damian's information, noticing that their exams had been taken on the same day. Investigating further, he discovered that they had both registered as residents of the same town.

  Her fingers remained still on the screen when she saw the images taken of Will's eyes.

  He paused briefly to lift his visor while rubbing his eyes with his other hand, revealing that his metal gloves were almost the size of his head.

  "Please..." she whispered, annoyed. "Let it not be those two..."

  The sound of the system saving the files echoed in the room, while on the screens the names of the two boys remained visible, blinking among the other records, waiting to receive the data from the completed exams.