The early morning was a silent well when Jacob opened his eyes with a start. He
had dreamt of voices whispering his name from every corner of the house, as if the
walls themselves were breathing. A cold sweat covered his forehead; his body
trembled for no reason. Beside him, Sara slept soundly, oblivious to the tension
that had taken shape in the air.
Jacob sat up slowly. Something had woken him up… something more than a
nightmare.
A sharp knock echoed on the front door.
Jacob felt his heart sink into his chest. It was 3:03 a.m. No one in hissane judgment
would be needed at that time.
Another blow, stronger.
"What...?" Sara murmured, half asleep. "Who's calling at this hour?"
"I don't know. Stay here," Jacob said.
She descended the stairs cautiously, feeling the shadow of a dark premonition.He
followed her. The air was cold, much colder than a few minutes before. The whole
house seemed to be holding its breath.
When he reached the door, he hesitated. Something inside him—his instinct, his
faith, his fear—made himHe told me not to open it.
But the third knock was so violent that the door
shook.Jacob took a deep breath and turned the bolt.
When she opened it, she found Rick, her friend, drenched in sweat and with his shirt
torn.Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying for hours.
—Rick! What happened to you?
Rick didn't respond. He clung to the doorframe to keep from falling. Jacob grabbed
him by theshoulders and made him come in.
—Rick? Can you hear me?
The man looked up, but his expression was a map of terror."Jacob…" her voice was broken, "something… something isn't right. It's not right…"
Jacob sat him down on the sofa. Rick was breathing as if he were carrying an
invisible weight.
—Relax. You're safe here. What happened?
Rick clenched his fists, trembling from head to toe.
—He… he came. I don't know how to explain it. I… I was at home, reviewing the
documents you asked me for… and the lights started flickering. I thought it was a
power outage. Then… I heard footsteps.
Jacob felt a chill.Rick
continued:
—I thought it was my imagination. But then I saw it. It had no shape… not entirely.
It was like a shadow trapped within another shadow. It moved without moving. It
was in my living room… watching me.
Jacob swallowed.
—Him…? Are you talking about the adversary?
Rick denied it desperately.
"I don't know what it was, Jacob. I only know that it was talking inside my head. Not
with words..."
but with images. It showed me my life falling apart, my family dying, me
kneeling before him, asking for something he didn't understand…
Her voice broke.
Jacob put a hand on his shoulder.
—Did he hurt you?
"Physically, no," Rick replied. "But here..." he pointed to his temple, "here it tore
me apart."
He remained silent, breathing heavily.
Sara came downstairs at that moment, wearing a robe and with a worried
expression on her face.
—Rick? Oh my God, what happened?Rick tried to get up, but Jacob wouldn't let him.
"He's in shock," she explained. "Something attacked
him in his house." Sara approached, kneeling in front
of him.
"Rick, look at me," she said gently. "You're safe now. Nothing can get in here."Rick
looked at her and his lips trembled.
"That's what I thought too..." he
whispered.A heavy silence fell
over them.
Until Rick spoke again, in a low voice.
—He said your name, Jacob.
Jacob felt like the world was stopping.
"My name?"
Rick nodded.
He said… "The chosen one has awakened, and those around him will be tested by
him." Then…
Then he said something about Robert.
Jacob felt a lurch in his stomach.
—What exactly did he say?
Rick closed his eyes, as if reliving it would be painful.
—"Envy will open it. Its downfall will be your first
regret."And then… she disappeared. As if she had
never been there.
Sara put her hand to her mouth.
—Jacob… Robert…
Jacob stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth.
—It can't be. It can't be that now he…
Rick interrupted him, looking up.—Jacob, you have to listen to me. Robert isn't well. Something is manipulating him.
Something
He wants it close... to use it against you.
The words hung suspended in the air.
Dawn came slowly, as if the sun hesitated to appear. Rick had stayed behind.Asleep
on the sofa, exhausted. Sara made coffee without saying much; the atmosphere
was strange, heavy.
Jacob repeatedly checked the message Robert had sent him the night before.
"I need to see you. It's important."
She had ignored it. And now she feared that her silence might have opened a
door.At seven in the morning, Jacob's phone vibrated.
A new message.It
was Robert's.
"I can't take it anymore. Come. Please."
Jacob showed the message to Sarah.
—I'm going.
"No," she said firmly. "Jacob, we don't know what's going on. That message might
not be from him."
—That's precisely why I have to go—he
replied.Sara denied it, distressed.
—The adversary said he would hurt you first through what you love. Rick is mentally
destroyed. Your children had nightmares all night. And now your brother… Jacob,It's
not a coincidence!
Jacob took her by the hands.
"If Robert is in danger, I can't leave him alone. Even if everything is manipulated… it's
my brother.
Sara closed her eyes, fighting against her fear.—Promise me you'll come
back.Jacob hugged her
tightly.
-Fiance.
Rick woke up as Jacob was getting ready to leave.
"Where are you going?" he asked, still dazed.
—Let's see Robert. I think he's more involved in this than we realize.Rick tried
to get up.
"I'll go with
you." Jacob
shook his
head.
—No. You need to rest. Besides, I don't want you to be exposed to that again.
Rick clenched his jaw.
—Jacob, I saw something that wasn't of this world. And I know when something wants
to destroy you. That
thing… is playing with you.
"I know," Jacob said gently. "But this test is mine." Rick
looked down, frustrated.
"Then take this," he said, pulling out a small metal crucifix. "I don't know if it'll do."
for something… but at least it gave me peace to have it with me.
Jacob took it. It was heavy, old.
"Thanks, brother."
Rick stared at him.
—If you see something that doesn't belong to this world… don't listen to it. That
thing is lying.
He lies to break you.
Jacob nodded, feeling the weight of those words.When he got into the car and started the engine, the rearview mirror vibrated slightly.
Jacob
He adjusted it… and froze.
For a moment —just one— he saw black eyes looking from the back seat.
She blinked, and there was nothing there.
A whisper slipped through the interior of the vehicle, like wind caught in a sigh.
—This is just the beginning…
Jacob gripped the steering wheel tightly.
No matter what forces were against him, he knew one thing with absolute clarity:
The ordeal had begun to devour those he loved.And he
wouldn't be the next to fall.
✨ If this story touched your heart…What you're reading here is only part of the journey.The complete novel, with all chapters and the final ending, is available on Amazon Kindle 📖
👉 Search on Amazon for: "Job: The Final Trial"A story of faith, inner struggle, and hope when everything seems lost.
Thank you for reading and walking this path with me 🤍