In the Fire

Dr. Grace Burnham travels from New York to a remote Colombian plantation to help the boy Martin Marquez. Nicolas Marquez, the ranch owner, initially tells her to go home, but she insists she will stay and provide care. The village is isolated, with the train arriving only once a week, underscoring how cut off they are from outside help.

Burnham discovers Martin is kept locked in his room and is not free to roam. Martin tells her that he killed his mother Isabella, claiming the accident happened when she fell during horse riding. He hints at a troubling link between his abilities and the fate of his family.

Father Antonio explains that locusts arrived at Martin's birth, devastating the crops. Burnham, Antonio, and Martin go to Isabella's grave to pray and seek understanding. The scene foreshadows the villagers' fear and the tension surrounding Martin.

Father Gavira arrives with two locals and immediately shows hostility toward Martin. He feeds the village's prejudices by insisting Martin is the Antichrist, fueling panic and setting up a confrontation. The atmosphere grows hostile as superstition spreads.

Martin approaches a horse and it panics, causing the rider to shoot Gavira in the arm by accident. The accident heightens fear and reinforces the belief that Martin is dangerous. Gavira orders Martin to be captured, and Burnham takes Martin back to the ranch.

Back at the ranch, Burnham and Nicolas help a severely wounded Father Antonio. Nicolas explains that Gavira wanted to perform an exorcism, but he refused, fueling the village's anger toward Martin. The crisis deepens as cattle disease erupts and villagers blame Martin.

Nicolas reveals that cattle are diseased and villagers themselves are falling ill. The community curses Martin and demands his removal, while Burnham is urged to leave; Nicolas refuses and stands by her. Fear and superstition spread through the village as crops fail.

Nicolas recalls Isabella's stillborn child and Martin digs up the infant to give to his grieving mother, a gesture that unsettles Burnham. She begins to suspect Martin may have Savant-like abilities rather than pure malice. The moment highlights the complex emotions twisted into superstition by the villagers.

Burnham tries to explain Martin's condition to Father Gavira in an effort to prevent panic, but the mob's anger grows. The villagers push toward public flogging of Burnham, a brutal display of fear turned collective punishment. Nicolas intervenes to defend her, but the flame of hostility continues to burn.

That night, the mob attacks Nicolas's stable and Martin enters, triggering a fire that consumes the barn. Nicolas retrieves the dead villagers’ bodies and leaves them outside Father Gavira’s church as a grim omen. Father Antonio attempts to reason with the mob and is killed in the ensuing chaos.

The following day Burnham questions what she fears about her own abilities while Martin asks her what she is afraid of; she admits she fears she will never be good enough. Later that night, the village’s disease claims the maid, further shaking Burnham’s confidence. Nicolas reassures her that she has already helped his son.

Father Gavira leads the mob in a final assault on the ranch. He rushes to shoot Martin, but his gun backfires and kills him. The attack escalates further as Burnham and the others hold out and prepare to flee with Martin.

Nicolas, fatally wounded, along with Burnham and Martin, reach the train station after the collapse of the mob. Nicolas dies from his wounds as Burnham takes Martin away on the train. The journey marks a new chapter as they seek safety beyond the village.