The makeshift church in the basement of Deacon Carlos Mendez’s home buzzed with the quiet hum of worshippers. The small, hidden space—away from the prying eyes of 6C enforcers—was a sanctuary for those who still clung to the old faith, away from the newly established theocratic rules of 6C. The light from a single mp flickered, casting long shadows against the stone walls. The smell of incense hung thick in the air as hymns were whispered, and the community prayed in unison.

  Ava, 19, sat on the edge of the worn pew, her eyes focused on Deacon Carlos, who led the service with a calm authority. His voice carried an air of power as he spoke of faith, resistance, and the need to cling to the past in a world that had forgotten it.

  Ava had always felt a deep respect for the Deacon. He was warm and reassuring, a guiding light in the midst of a world that felt increasingly dark. But today—today was different. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was stirring inside her. Maybe it was the weight of what was happening in the world around her, or perhaps something inside her heart was finally beginning to question the very foundations of everything she had been taught.

  The door creaked open suddenly, interrupting her thoughts, and in walked three figures—Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian. Ava’s heart skipped a beat as she saw them. The three girls had been missing for days, and her chest tightened with concern. What had happened to them? Why had they left?

  But it wasn’t just their absence that shocked her. It was the way they looked. The subtle shift in their appearance—something about the way they carried themselves. They seemed different. More confident. More... alive. Ava’s breath caught in her throat as she watched them stride into the room, their eyes full of an unspoken power. Their clothes were different too—elegant, expensive. They were no longer the simple, modest girls Ava had known. Something had changed, and it intrigued her.

  Her heart beat faster as she realized she wanted to look like them—wanted to embody the freedom they radiated.

  The room fell silent as the worshippers looked at the three women, murmurs of surprise rippling through the group. Deacon Carlos looked up, his brow furrowing in surprise. He hadn’t expected to see the girls back so soon.

  “Ava, what’s going on?” one of the worshippers asked, her voice soft but ced with curiosity.

  “They’re back,” Ava said quietly, still stunned. Her gaze was fixed on Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian. “But why... why do they look like this?”

  Rebekah, sensing the eyes on her, gave a small, knowing smile. “We went for temporary jobs,” she said nonchantly, her voice light but with an air of mystery. “Nothing serious. Just a little change of scenery.”

  The room fell into an awkward silence as everyone exchanged skeptical gnces. Ava could feel the tension in the air—the uncertainty, the questions they all had, but no one dared to ask more. It was clear the three girls didn’t want to eborate, and so, the questioning subsided. Deacon Carlos cleared his throat.

  “Well, let us continue with the service,” he said, trying to regain control of the moment. He gestured to the altar, signaling that they should return to the ritual.

  Ava’s eyes drifted between the girls and Deacon Carlos. She couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling in her chest, the pull of curiosity that refused to let go. What had really happened? she wondered. What had changed?

  As the service progressed, Deacon Carlos spoke of the importance of loyalty to the old ways—the need to hold steadfast against the encroaching dominance of 6C. His words were familiar, comforting. But something about the way he spoke felt... off.

  Ava’s eyes shifted back to the three girls. They had begun whispering amongst themselves, exchanging gnces with each other. Slowly, they started to speak up, their voices cutting through the prayerful atmosphere like a gentle breeze.

  “We need to ask ourselves some questions,” Rebekah said, her tone calm but piercing. Her gaze fixed on Deacon Carlos, and for the first time in Ava’s memory, there was a hint of challenge in her eyes.

  Deacon Carlos paused, his expression unreadable. “What do you mean, Rebekah?” he asked, his voice measured.

  “It’s about what we’re holding on to,” Rebekah replied. “We’ve been clinging to a faith that’s been shaped by fear. A faith that doesn’t allow room for questioning or growth.”

  The words hit like a jolt, and Ava’s heart raced. It wasn’t the words themselves that shook her—it was the authority with which Rebekah spoke. It was as if she had shed the past, leaving behind everything she had once believed in.

  “Faith,” Rebekah continued, “isn’t about blind obedience to what we’ve been told. It’s about freedom—freedom to explore, to grow, and to make our own choices.”

  The room fell into an uneasy silence. Deacon Carlos’s face hardened, his lips pressing into a thin line. He didn’t speak for a long moment, and the air felt charged with the tension between old faith and new possibilities.

  “I understand your concerns, Rebekah,” Deacon Carlos said finally, his voice calm but firm. “But this is not the time for doubt. This is not the time to question the foundations of our beliefs. The 6C regime is rising, and we must remain steadfast in our commitment to God.”

  Lian spoke up next, her voice steady and confident. “But which God, Deacon? The one that 6C tells us to follow? Or the one that is free from ws, from rules, and from the chains of the past?”

  Ava watched in awe as Lian, the quietest of the three, now spoke with a strength she had never seen before. The questions she was asking were the very questions Ava had felt in her own heart, but had never dared to voice.

  Carlos’s eyes flicked from one girl to the next, his expression unreadable. It was clear that the challenge had unsettled him. He stood there, silent for a long moment.

  Ava couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of admiration for Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian. They were different now—no longer the girls who had been scared or unsure. They were confident, sure of themselves in a way that made Ava feel small, as if they had unlocked something she had yet to understand.

  She was drawn to them in a way she couldn’t expin, a part of her aching to be like them—strong, unyielding, free.

  Deacon Carlos finally spoke, his voice strained. “This isn’t the time to question. We must hold firm to what we know.”

  But Ava wasn’t listening to him anymore. Her eyes were on the three women, and in that moment, she knew something had shifted within her. The world she had known was beginning to unravel, and the truth was becoming clearer than ever before.

  As the service continued, Ava could feel the weight of the questions pressing against her heart. And deep down, she knew she had to find her own answers—answers that weren’t shaped by fear or control, but by freedom, by choice, and by the power of questioning everything she had once believed.

  ***

  The atmosphere in the makeshift church was heavy, suffused with the tension between old faith and new ideas. The dim light from the small mp flickered as if responding to the charged air in the room. The faint sound of whispered prayers had long since ceased, and all eyes were on the confrontation unfolding between Deacon Carlos and the three women—Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian. The other worshippers sat in stunned silence, unsure of how to react to the challenging words that had shattered the sacred peace of the evening.

  Deacon Carlos stood at the altar, his hands gripping the edges of the podium, his usually steady demeanor now fraught with tension. His face was a mask of forced composure, but the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes betrayed the internal struggle he was facing. The three women before him—once students of faith, now daring to question and confront everything he had spent his life teaching—had thrown him off bance in a way he hadn't anticipated.

  Rebekah's voice, calm yet assertive, echoed through the room. "You say we must hold firm to the faith, Deacon. But which faith is that? The one that teaches us to remain silent, to accept the chains of 6C? The one that tells us to obey without questioning?"

  Her words stung like a whip, but they weren’t born of anger. There was a calmness in her tone, as if she had already reconciled with the radical shift in her beliefs. It was the kind of certainty that made Deacon Carlos feel small. For the first time in his life, he was unsure of the ground beneath him.

  “You speak of loyalty,” Lian added, her voice steady but piercing. “But loyalty to what? To a system that tells us what to believe, what to think, who to love? Where’s the freedom in that?”

  Carlos took a deep breath, his jaw tightening. "You misunderstand, Lian. The world is changing. The 6C regime is coming for us all. You cannot afford to question now. You must remain steadfast, for the sake of our survival. If we do not follow the path id before us, we risk losing everything."

  Ruth, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. Her expression was serious, but there was an undeniable sense of conviction in her eyes. "What if the path you’re following isn't the one that leads to freedom, Carlos? What if it’s a path to more chains, more control? What if the real enemy isn’t 6C, but the fear you’re too afraid to face?"

  The room fell into an eerie silence as Carlos processed Ruth’s words. He had always believed in the purity of his mission, in the strength of his guidance. He had long been the rock on which others leaned. But now, it felt as if the ground was shifting beneath his feet, as if the foundation he had built his entire life on was crumbling.

  The worshippers, who had initially been following the service in reverence, now sat with wide eyes, unsure how to respond. No one had ever challenged Carlos so directly before. He was the one who spoke of faith with certainty, the one who guided them through the dark times. But here were the three women—Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian—each one embodying a strength he had never imagined. They had become something more than just the girls they once were. They were forceful, unapologetic, and, in their own way, they were offering a new kind of hope.

  Carlos cleared his throat, attempting to regain control of the moment. But the words faltered on his lips. "You... you’re asking me to turn my back on everything I’ve taught. On everything I believe in."

  Rebekah shook her head. "No, Carlos. We're asking you to turn your eyes forward. To see the world as it is, not as you want it to be. Faith isn't about clinging to outdated traditions for comfort. It’s about seeing the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be."

  There was a stillness in the room, and the air seemed to grow thicker as Carlos grappled with the weight of their words. The worshippers, once so devoted to his teachings, now sat in stunned silence, watching as the Deacon faltered before these young women who had seemingly stepped into the future with an unwavering crity.

  Ava, sitting at the back, felt something shift deep inside her. She had always looked up to Carlos, trusting in his wisdom and guidance. He had been her anchor, the one who steadied her when the world felt too chaotic. But now, as she watched Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian speak with such conviction, a new kind of longing stirred within her.

  Her heart, once confined to the narrow path id out before her, now ached for something more—something bigger. A part of her wanted to be like these women, to be unafraid of challenging the things that had once seemed unassaible. She had always believed that faith was about obedience, about quiet submission. But now, she wasn’t so sure.

  Ava’s gaze shifted back to the three women as they stood, unwavering, in the face of Deacon Carlos’s authority. Their words, their presence, were like a spark igniting something inside her—a desire to question, to explore, to be free. She felt herself unraveling, piece by piece, as they spoke.

  For the first time, Ava realized that there was a different way to believe—a way that didn’t require her to stifle her voice, to accept everything without question. These women, these friends, had become something more than just the girls she had once known. They were pioneers, leading the way toward a new kind of faith. A faith that wasn’t defined by fear, but by freedom.

  Carlos stood there, staring at them, his expression slowly shifting from disbelief to something more like resignation. The weight of his position, of his beliefs, seemed to be pulling him under. He had tried to remain steadfast, but the world had changed. And with that change, so too had his followers.

  “You’re right,” he finally said, his voice softer than before. “I’ve been too afraid to see what’s right in front of me. Maybe... maybe it’s time to change.”

  Ava’s heart pounded in her chest. It was as if the veil had been lifted from her eyes. She wasn’t sure what the future held, but she knew one thing for certain: She could no longer stand in the shadows, clinging to the past. The truth, as painful as it was, had to be faced.

  As the room settled into a profound silence, Ava sat still, feeling the weight of the moment. The Deacon had begun to unravel, and in that unraveling, Ava felt herself starting to stitch together a new version of herself. A version that was no longer afraid to question, to change, to be free.

  As the room settled into a profound silence, Ava sat still, feeling the weight of the moment. The Deacon had begun to unravel, and in that unraveling, Ava felt herself starting to stitch together a new version of herself. A version that was no longer afraid to question, to change, to be free.

  ...

  The makeshift church, once a pce of power and control, had grown eerily silent in the aftermath of the exchange. Deacon Carlos stood frozen at the altar, his hands trembling at his sides, as if trying to reconcile the words he had just heard. But the damage had been done. His world, built on the unquestionable foundation of faith and tradition, had cracked wide open.

  Outside, the night air was cool and crisp, and Ava hurried out of the church, her heart racing. Her mind buzzed with the unsettling truths she had just heard, the powerful conviction in Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian’s words still echoing in her thoughts. For the first time, she found herself questioning everything she had believed. She had always admired the Deacon’s wisdom, his steadfastness, but now, that admiration felt mispced. They had torn down his arguments like paper walls, revealing something far more liberating, far more real.

  Ava caught sight of the three women walking towards the parking lot. She sprinted after them, her breath catching in her chest. She had to know what had happened to them—what had changed them so completely in just a few days.

  “Wait!” she called out, breathless. They all turned to look at her, their expressions unreadable at first, but then a small, knowing smile appeared on Rebekah’s lips.

  Ava came to a stop in front of them, panting slightly, trying to collect her thoughts. “I—I have to know. What happened to you three? You’re different. You were so sure, so… so certain back there. I’ve never seen anything like it. What’s going on?”

  The three women exchanged a gnce, one that was full of understanding, as if they had already discussed this moment a hundred times over in their minds. There was no need for more words between them. They had been down the road of silence, of hesitation, and now they were ready to show Ava the path forward.

  Without saying a word, Rebekah led the way to a bck Cadilc Escade parked near the church. Ava’s eyes widened at the sight of it. The car was sleek, powerful, and completely out of pce in the quiet, modest neighborhood they were in. The polished exterior gleamed under the streetlights, a stark contrast to the church's humble surroundings.

  Ava paused for a moment, still grappling with everything that had just happened inside, but then she followed them to the car. She was full of questions, but there was something in her gut telling her to stay quiet for now. Rebekah opened the driver's door and slid behind the wheel with a casual confidence that took Ava by surprise. The others climbed in, and Ava hesitated before following them inside. She felt as though she were stepping into another world, one that she wasn’t sure she was ready for but was desperate to understand.

  As the door shut behind her, the engine of the Escade roared to life, and they began to drive away from the church. The familiar sights of the neighborhood began to fade behind them, repced by streets she didn’t recognize, winding through the city. The windows were down, and the cool night air rushed in, ruffling their hair, but no one spoke for a long while. It was as if the three women were letting Ava catch up, allowing her space to process what was happening.

  Finally, Ava couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. “Whose car is this?” she asked, turning to Rebekah in the driver’s seat. The question had been burning in her mind ever since they got in.

  Rebekah gnced at her, a pyful glint in her eyes, as if the answer was the least surprising thing in the world. "It’s mine," she replied nonchantly, her hands steady on the wheel as she navigated the roads with ease.

  Ava blinked, unsure if she had heard correctly. “Yours? But how…?”

  Rebekah gave a soft chuckle, as if the question itself was amusing. "I’ve been doing some things... different things," she said, her voice calm but carrying an underlying strength. "Things that open doors, things that let me take control of my own life. I don’t have to ask permission for anything anymore."

  Ava’s mind spun. The car, the confidence, the change in Rebekah—it was all too much to absorb. But as she sat there, her eyes moving between Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian, she began to see a pattern. They had all changed. And it wasn’t just about the clothes or the lifestyle. It was something deeper, something more fundamental. They had found something Ava had been searching for her entire life—freedom. True, unrestrained freedom.

  She turned her attention to Ruth, who sat beside her, her gaze distant as the city lights flickered by outside the window. Ruth was the one who had always seemed the most grounded, the most faithful. But now, there was a quiet fire in her eyes that Ava had never seen before.

  “Ruth,” Ava asked softly, “what happened to you? To all of you?”

  Ruth met her gaze and smiled, but there was no hesitation in her words. "We woke up, Ava. We realized there was more to life than just following rules. We found a path that felt right to us. And we’re not afraid to take it. It’s about finding our own power, our own voice. And we’re going to help others do the same."

  Ava felt a rush of something inside her, something stirring and alive, and she could no longer deny it. She had been living in a cage of her own making, bound by rules and expectations. And now, she saw a glimpse of what it might feel like to break free.

  As they continued to drive, the city passed by in a blur. Ava’s heart raced, her mind swirled with possibilities. She didn’t know exactly what the future held, but for the first time in her life, she felt as though she was no longer trapped in someone else’s story. She was ready to write her own.

  As the Cadilc Escade cruised through the streets of the city, Ava felt a shift deep within her, a stirring that she hadn’t experienced before. The world outside seemed different now, more open, more vibrant. The once familiar streets now felt like pathways leading toward something unknown but undeniably liberating. It was as if she had been living in a fog, and the women beside her—Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian—were showing her the way out.

  Ava's gaze flickered between the three women, each of them so changed, so confident. She had always admired them, but now, it was as if they were embodiments of everything she had been longing for. Rebekah’s calm confidence, Ruth’s quiet intensity, and Lian’s unshakeable self-assurance—it was as if they had unlocked a part of themselves that Ava had never even known existed. She felt drawn to them in a way that went beyond admiration. There was a deep, aching need to understand their transformation, to be a part of it.

  The car finally stopped at a quiet, upscale part of the city. The lights outside gleamed off the sleek buildings, casting long shadows on the pavement. Ava’s heart raced as she followed the three women into a luxurious apartment building. Inside, the decor was minimalist but elegant, a reflection of the women’s newfound freedom. Ava felt out of pce in this world, unsure of her pce in it, but she followed them anyway.

  Inside the apartment, Rebekah offered her a seat on the plush couch, her smile warm but knowing. "You’re part of this now, Ava," she said simply. "You don’t have to feel lost anymore."

  The words hit Ava harder than she expected. She had always felt like she was on the periphery of life, never fully immersed in anything, always trying to fit into a mold that never quite suited her. But now, as she sat in the apartment with these women, it was like the weight of those years melted away.

  Ruth, who had always been the most reserved, leaned forward with a gentle smile. "You don’t have to know everything all at once. We didn’t, either. It’s about the journey, Ava. About discovering who you really are."

  For the first time, Ava realized that she had been living for others—living for the expectations pced on her, for the life she had been told to lead. But now, she was beginning to see that the only path that mattered was the one she chose for herself.

  The days following the humbling encounter at the church were agonizing for Deacon Carlos Mendez. The once-confident man, revered by many for his wisdom and conviction, now found himself crippled by doubt. Every time he stepped onto the pulpit to preach, his voice wavered, and his words felt hollow. The unwavering certainty he had once exuded in his teachings had been repced by a gnawing fear that he wasn’t as sure of his beliefs as he had thought. The victory of the three women—Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian—over him had shattered something deep within him.

  He had always prided himself on his ability to control the narrative, to steer his congregation in the direction of salvation, but now, that control felt slipping, like sand through his fingers.

  Over the past few days, Carlos had found himself questioning everything—the foundation of his faith, the teachings he had upheld for so many years, and the rigid structure he had clung to so tightly. He couldn’t stop thinking about the women’s words. The things they said during their confrontation, the conviction in their voices, their undeniable confidence, had gotten under his skin. The more he thought about it, the more unsettling it became.

  He had seen the way the congregation looked at the women after the encounter—some with admiration, some with confusion, but all with a sense of awe. They had become a symbol of something Carlos couldn't quite understand. Freedom, perhaps. Independence. Self-assurance. The very things he had spent years repressing in the name of faith.

  And now, the worst part—the girls were returning.

  It was Sunday, and Deacon Carlos stood before the congregation, his mind a storm of anxiety. He could feel the weight of their gaze on him, their expectation that he would deliver the truth. But how could he, when the truth had started to unravel before him?

  As the congregation settled, the door creaked open, and Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian entered. Carlos' heart skipped a beat. His breath caught in his throat. They walked in with an ease that seemed to command the room. Their presence was electric, and it felt like everything shifted when they entered. People shifted in their seats, casting sideways gnces at them.

  The women took their usual seats, a noticeable space between them and the rest of the congregation, as if they were no longer part of the same world. Their confidence was like a force, one that made Carlos' insecurities surge to the surface.

  He began his sermon, his words coming out slow and measured, but they felt like empty echoes in the vast church. His hands shook slightly as he gripped the lectern. How could he preach, knowing that the women in front of him had pierced the veil of his faith? How could he continue with the same passion when he felt like a fraud?

  The sermon seemed to drag on for eternity. Carlos’ voice cracked in pces, and his words faltered. His usual fire was repced by uncertainty, and his attempts to inspire the congregation fell ft. He spoke about the importance of adhering to doctrine, about staying true to the sacred commandments. But deep down, he didn’t believe what he was saying anymore. His words were just the motions of a man stuck in a role he no longer felt fit for.

  It wasn’t until he reached the end of the sermon that he saw it. Ava, the young woman who had once been so respectful and eager to learn, now sat with an expression that was both distant and contemptive. Her usual reverence had been repced by something more questioning, more inquisitive. Her eyes were locked on him, but there was no awe there anymore. There was only silence, a deep, probing silence.

  Carlos tried to push through, trying to wrap up with some sembnce of confidence. But as he spoke, he saw Ava lean forward slightly, a subtle shift in her posture, as if she was about to speak.

  And then, her voice cut through the tension. “Deacon Carlos,” she said, her tone calm but firm. “I’ve been thinking about what you said... about everything, really.” The entire room seemed to hold its breath. The once-reverent Ava was now questioning him, challenging him.

  Carlos’ heart pounded in his chest. He knew the moment had come. The facade he had so carefully maintained was cracking open, and it was all he could do to hold himself together.

  “What do you mean?” he managed to ask, though his voice cked its usual conviction. His hands were still gripping the lectern, the wood feeling slippery beneath his palms.

  “I’ve been listening to you,” Ava continued, her voice steady. “And I’ve been listening to Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian. And I can’t help but wonder... are we really free to follow Christ, or have we just been following rules that we never truly understood?”

  Carlos felt his stomach twist. It was the question he had been dreading, the one that had haunted him since their confrontation. How could he answer that? How could he expin the rigid structure of his faith when everything he thought he knew was now in question?

  Ava didn’t wait for a response. She continued, her voice gaining strength. “You’ve always told us that we should submit to God’s will, but what if that will isn’t about conformity? What if it’s about finding freedom? What if the path to Christ isn’t about rules and commandments, but about the freedom to find our own truth?”

  Carlos stood there, unable to respond. The words she spoke were too close to the truth he had been trying to avoid. She had seen through him, through the carefully constructed walls he had built around his faith, and now there was nothing left to hide behind.

  The congregation remained silent, watching the exchange with rapt attention. Even Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian didn’t speak, but there was a sense of quiet solidarity in their presence.

  Finally, Carlos managed to speak, though his voice was a whisper. “What are you saying, Ava?”

  Ava took a deep breath. “I’m saying that maybe it’s time for all of us to question what we’ve been told, to question what we’ve been following blindly. It’s time for us to find our own way, not just follow someone else’s.” Her eyes softened, but her words were resolute. “I’m not saying we abandon faith, but maybe... maybe we need to redefine it.”

  The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Carlos felt the weight of them press down on him, as if he were standing at the edge of a cliff, unsure of what would happen if he took the next step. He wanted to deny it, to push back against the challenge, but he couldn’t. There was no denying that something had shifted in him, in the room, in the very air. The women had shaken the foundations of his beliefs, and now, Ava had put into words what he had been too afraid to confront.

  For the first time in years, Carlos didn’t know what to say. His confidence was gone. His certainty had evaporated.

  And in that silence, he knew one thing for sure—everything was changing. And he wasn’t sure if he was ready for it.

  ***

  The first signs of the challenge appeared when Ava had questioned him publicly. Her words reverberated throughout the congregation long after the service had ended. What had seemed like an isoted moment of defiance now felt like the beginning of a movement—one that was spreading rapidly within the younger members of the church.

  Carlos’ once-vibrant sermons, the ones that used to resonate with passion and fire, had begun to feel forced. His confidence had taken a hit, and every word he spoke seemed to ck the same conviction. As much as he tried to return to the doctrine he had always known, the question lingered: Was it truly the right way? Was the traditional doctrine of the Trinity, so deeply embedded in the Christian faith, actually correct, or was it a historical construct, a theological compromise?

  It was an uncomfortable thought, one he couldn't shake off, especially as more of his young worshippers began to adopt the ideas that had been instilled by Ava, Rebekah, Ruth, and Lian. The once-innocent discussions about doctrine were now turning into full-fledged debates. The young members of the congregation—millennials, Gen Z—no longer looked up to him with blind reverence. They were asking questions he couldn’t easily answer.