guess who? (camilo - encanto)

- 1 -

"Hola, Casita!" Mirabel waved to the house, shaking me up along with her. The house clapped it's doors and windows in response. "A house that can move all on it's own, " I gawked as the shock crushed me in its palm. "That's it. I'm probably dead. This is the afterlife, " I muttered under my breath as Mirabel danced across the multicolored tiles, swaying back and forth. They all flapped up and down as if it were a bird in flight.

"Casita, where's Abuela? " She inquired. The house seemed to ponder for a second but then click-clacked again in a sort of response. "Do you understand it? " I asked as Mirabel nodded and took an elderly lady by the hand. The lady was dressed in a mature magenta dress, and had a stern expression. "Mirabel, I told you, everything has to be perfect for Antonio tonight. Please do not interfere..."

" Yes, Abuela, I know, but they came through to Encanto! You know, from the outside!" Mirabel flailed her arms like a distraught chicken as Abuela met my eyes. I shrunk back as her icy gaze stabbed through my body, inciting a shiver down my spine. "Mirabel, I don't know what you're talking about. Do not make stuff up. The magic is strong. No one comes or leaves Encanto, you know this," she lectured, then disappeared down the many halls of the Casita.

Mirabel looked at me with a crestfallen expression, but then replaced it with a smile. "Come on, let's find my mom."

She led me down the halls by the hand, but I could feel her fingers shaking slightly. "Are you okay?" I asked slowly, not wanting to pry. "Oh yeah, it's normal. I just need to be as useful as the other members of our wonderful family Madrigal, " she reassured me, but this time, I could feel her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Mama," she called, knocking on the door of the kitchen. An older woman, younger than Abuela, turned and gave Mirabel a kiss on the cheek. "Who's your friend?"

"They're... well, they need healing," Mirabel elaborated as she took my hand and showed her the bleeding.

"Eat," she insisted, stuffing an empanada into my mouth. Immediately, I could feel the cuts patch themselves, and in no time, the throbbing pain was nonexistent. I blinked and flexed my fingers, then my arms. "Good as new, right?" Mirabel said, nodding. "Call me Julieta, " the older lady laughed, enveloping my hands in hers. Her kind eyes held my own, her soft gaze sweeping over me like a warm embrace beside the hearth.

"Now, let's bring you to meet the rest of the family! They're all busy getting ready for Antonio's gift ceremony, but I'm sure they'll all love you!"

end