𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘶 | 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗹

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 10

Encanto, Colombia
1949

The door was glowing, not as bright as before, but glowing. The women were shocked, Julieta was covering her mouth as Pepa just stood there with her arms crossed along her chest. Elena stood in front of the door, a few steps away but close enough to feel the warmth of knowing he was still around. There was tension, no one knew exactly the right thing to say until Elena turned around to look at them. "What now?" She ask softly as both women merely just shrugged. "We don't know what exactly this could mean, he could just merely be doing something silly. I'm sorry to tell you that, Elena, but we should be looking for Mirabel...." Julieta frowned as Elena sighed and nodded in agreement.

"You're right, I'm sorry I got distracted. We'll worry about this later."

•
•
•

The sky around them began to grow grey as clouds surrounded the village, which was full of commotion and questions about whether or not the magic was okay. It made her furious that the concern laid there instead of her dear niece whom was still missing. She sighed as she wandered the top floor of the casita carefully with a candle in hand as she continued her search. "Mirabel...? Mirabel, please-" she called out as a crack thundered beneath her very feet, frightening her. "Oh dios mío, stupid cracks..." she caught her breath as she watched the crack dance onto the wall and travel all the way to a painting down the hall, disturbing it and....causing it to open. Elena tilted her head in confusion as she made her way to the door-like painting and looked inside. "What in the world..." she examined closer as the tiles beneath her began to dance. She looked down. "Did you know about this, casita?"

The tiles danced again as she looked back into the makeshift hallway. There was a faint sound echoing through its worn down walls that almost sounded like her husband. "Bruno...?" She whispered as she hesitated.

"Elena!"

A shriek voice caught her attention as she tried to ignore it for a moment, still caught up on her discovery but having to abandon it as the voice called for her assistance again. She rolled her eyes and closed the painting door. "I'll be back for you" she stated as she turned around and began running down the stairs and to wherever that voice was calling her from. Just as she left, two figures exited the make-shift door.

Elena ran outside where she met up with Julieta and Pepa worried as ever. They turned to Elena, eyes wide with worry. "Anything?" They said in unison as Elena just shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry.."
Julieta sighed as Pepa wrapped her arm around her sister to comfort her. Elena thought for a moment before opening her mouth. "I'll continue to look around the casita with the kids. We'll find her." She comforted as they nodded their heads and parted ways again. She walked back into the casita to be greeted by Camilo, struggling with his gift as he continued to shift into multiple different beings. Elena grabbed onto his shoulder softly as he turned his head, calming down as he met eyes with his tia who smiled at him. "Are you okay, querido?" She asked as he nodded and looked down to his hands. She smiled comfortingly at him. "Come on, let's look for Mirabel. I'm sure she'll turn up soon." She smiled again as she let go of his shoulder and they walked together.

"Mirabel? Mirab-" Camilo called out before a small crack appeared beneath his feet and startled him into shifting, Elena covering her mouth trying to hide a small chuckle. He looked down to her as he was, now, taller then her and his head far too small for his body. He shrugged as she smiled and he continued walking on calling for Mirabel. Elena laughed softly as she began to follow behind but stopped as she heard a noise above her. She looked up to that same spot where the painting was, examining it from afar before Camilo called out to her. "Tia, are you okay?" His voice was back to normal and she turned her gaze to him and nodded. "Yes, yes. Uhm, let's continue looking" she placed her hand on his back to lead him away so they could continue their search, looking back behind her to that same spot one last time.