The Forgotten...? ••• 𝐂.𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐥

(9) 𝐎ne by one, it adds up...

Narrator's POV:

"No..." The young Madrigal muttered, her eyes not moving away from her signature, shaking her head and blinking away the thoughts that quickly came to her. But her resistance was futile.
"I-i mean, no. We-I, we couldn't have known her." Mirabel stuttered, her brain fumbling, her breathing seemingly getting harder to regulate and more erratic as she ran over the various scenarios in her head.

"I don't know her." She breathed out, finally getting her message across clearly, folding her arms across her chest. Looking to the others their expressions seemed to mirror hers, shocked, bewildered... somewhat scared. How did they not know her? Remember her? It doesn't make any sense.

"We-we need to talk to someone. Ask someone." Camilo grumbled, trying to rack his brain for any useful thoughts, anything they could use to get answers. Without getting caught.

"And who do we ask, Camilo?" Mirabel sassily replied, her top lip twitching as she continued,
"What should we do? Just walk up to Abuela and say 'Hey Abuela, I know this is a touchy subject and we could be grounded for the rest of our lives but could you tell us why you lied about Lucia and why we don't remember her? Cause that'd be great." Mirabel sarcastically remarked, tapping her fingers on her folder forearm as she breathlessly chuckled, turning to the book once more.

Scanning over the watery mirror still elegantly flowing and down to the book, the photo. Her fingers stopped tapping as she let her mind finally think. Her mind ran wild, coming back to her thoughts... the evidence. Abuela and Lucia's portrait, Bruno and Lucia caught vividly within the pages of Lucia's book and Mirabel's unmistakable signature...

All the evidence pointed towards Mirabel knowing Lucia, coming in contact with her, her room, her book. Everything. But the only thing that confused her, the one question irritating her being belief, made her question all of the evidence. Was,

Why didn't she remember...?
Why didn't any of them remember?

Nothing, not a glance. Not her leaving or her at Mirabel's-failed-gift ceremony. It's like she never existed, well to Mirabel, but apparently, her Tía and Tío knew something, including her mother and... Abuela... shockingly.

Turning to the others, cooler down from her previous rant and then
"Do you guys... remember her?" Mirabel carefully worded, not wanting to say what was on her mind and hear Camilo's endless complaints and retorts, it was an unpleasant thought and she didn't want to repeat the fight from earlier.

Mirabel waited for a response, only to be met with silence. She looked up and away from her signature, glancing between both of her cousins, curiously.

"Are you guys, alright?" She added, nearing the two who stood a few inches away from her. Mirabel was a little nervous to talk, the atmosphere and tension had grown tenfold over the few minutes of silence that settled on the room.
"Fine," Camilo answered, almost too quickly, as he snapped back from his deep thoughts and gave an unsteady grin.
"I'm fine, I'm all good. Doing great over here! Ha!" He pointed to himself with both his thumbs, nodding his head and breathlessly chuckled afterwards. All of the humour seemingly vanished as his arms dropped down and began to rub his arm, continuously.

Mirabel just gave an awkward smile, knowing full well that her cousin was overwhelmed, just like she was, and didn't know how to cope with it properly. He didn't want to add to the situation or the stress. He didn't want to be a burden on the others and he knew if he couldn't handle the stress then the other family members would notice what was going on. What they were doing and if anyone found out they would be in a hell of a lot of pain or well, they would just be punished with extra chores or having to stay in their rooms for a couple of days.

"Dolores?" Mirabel whispered, looking to her quiet cousin. She didn't know whether to go towards Dolores or to let her be and comprehend the news. Or the supposed news, this wasn't set in stone until they asked someone. Someone who knew Lucia and is old enough to know.

"Yeah?" She whispered back, making eye contact with Mirabel, giving her usual blank, shocked face but Mirabel just noticed the slight twinge of fear. She wondered why her cousin was scared until she realized so was Camilo and... so was she. None of them knew anything and knew nothing about the enemy, the enemy you knew and lived with. Missing an entire person from your memories, not a single moment, not day or week, but years and years of knowing a person... just gone, like that.

"Are you alright? Do you remember something?" The brunette questioned- trying to stop her overthinking and focus on her cousins-tilting her head to the side. Dolores just stood there and stood

"About Lucia? Knowing her?" Mirabel pushed, urging her cousin with her eyes whilst she inched closer to her. Dolores gave an uncomfortable squeak as she backed up but as she turned around, to probably make a run for it, she knocked over the stand holding the book high. As it fell to the floor with a clatter, Camilo jumped and his eye twitched along with his powers. He changed into near enough the entire family, his mother, Bruno, little Antonio, Dolores, Mirabel and then into a person the others were both saddened and surprised to see.
Lucia.
Camilo just took the form of Lucia. Well, it was little Lucia, but still.

"Cami?!" Dolores yelped, her volume hushed as she moved forward slightly before she froze. Mirabel didn't take notice of Dolores' still state and focused on Camilo-who was currently sitting on the sand-arms propping him up, his head down.
"Are you alright?" Mirabel rushed out, crouching down to his sand-covered form. His original form. She placed her hand delicately on his shoulder and moved her head lower to try and see his face, which was currently looking down. Mirabel was unable to see his expression, but she could tell that he was taken aback, maybe from the sudden noise or having a transforming glitch. The last time that happened was when the miracle candle was losing its powers when he was confused and worried and unbelievably terrified.

She tried to get his attention or to get him to lift his head, but before she could adventure any further into the mystery of 'what was currently wrong with her cousin?' a loud and erratic sounding noise could be heard.

Mirabel looked behind Camilo, who was still unmoving and tried to search for the whereabouts of the growing noise.

"Mirabel!"

The 17-year-old woman, spun around to see Dolores covering her ears and shouting to get Mirabel's attention. When Dolores noticed she had captured it, she hurriedly positioned her right shoulder and pressed it against her ear, as she pointed at something to the left of Mirabel.
"Look! The water!" Dolores screamed over the now blaring sound of... rushing water. Mirabel turned to where Dolores' finger was pointing as the young adult yanked her hand back and covered her ear once again.

"W-what?" Miracle rushed out, her grip tightening on Camilo's ruana. Mirabel internally freaked out as she just stared at the scene before her, mouth agape and eyes wide. And she finally registered what was happening before her.

"What is that?!"

--------------------------------------
Word count: 1280
Ik, Mirabel's hair is like jet black but, yeah, I called it brunette. Sue me. Anywho, yh, toodles. Sorry, bye-bye.