El Milagro || C. Madrigal

CHAPTER 3

It was dark and silent. Valentina started to stir, groaning.

"-tina" a faint voice was heard out of the blue.

"Valentina." the voice said again, this time, it was loud and clear. The young girl's eyes fluttered open, but squinted as she was suddenly blinded by the sunlight that was hitting her face.

Alehandra sighed, feeling grateful and relaxed now that her niece has finally woken up. As she gradually adjusted to the light around her, Valentina realized that they were in a room. A room she doesn't recognize. Her eyes shifted towards her Tia.

"Tia, where are we?" Valentina asked, her voice strained and felt dry. Then she started coughing. Alehandra immediately reached out for the glass of water that was on the small table beside the bed, giving it to the girl who was still laying down.

"Here Tina, drink." Alehandra stated softly as she helped put her niece into a sitting position. Doing so, Valentina suddenly felt light headed and let out a slightly irritated groan. Nevertheless, she held the cup offered to her and took big gulps of water, rehydrating her sore and dry throat.

After drinking the water, she placed it back to the bedside table, looking back to her Tia.

Alehandra gaze towards Valentina before sighing lightly, "To answer your question, we're in a very small village a few miles from where you knocked out." she stated before pausing, taking her niece's hand gently, "You were unresponsive, but still alive. We continued walking for a few days, until we stumbled upon a few people walking back to their village. They helped us, providing shelter and food."

Valentina's eyes slightly widened, "Wait, how long was I out?" she asked in a panic. Her Tia rubbed her hand gently with her thumb.

"More than a week.." Alehandra replied, sighing once again, "We... We buried Gabriel's body in the village's cementerio once we arrived here. Me and your Tio can't stand just leaving his body without a proper burial." she finishes. She felt Valentina tense as she mentioned her brother, eyes begging to get cloudy.

"They're really gone?" Valentina shook, fighting the urge to cry, not believing what's become of her reality. Alehandra can only be silent and engulfed the girl in a hug, silently crying. Feeling the comfort from her Tia, Valentina can't help but finally cry on Alehandra's shoulder.

It was indeed hard to believe. Everything went by so fast. Not only did she lose her Mother and Father, but also her bestfriend, her other half, her dearest twin brother. Gabriel. Valentina sobbed loudly, holding her Tia closely, afraid that she too would disappear and leave her.

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Days turned into weeks, months and years. Valentina stood on top of a roof, gazing up at the early morning sky. It has already been exactly 2 years and 8 months since Valentina's Tio, Tia and cousins arrived in the small village named "Afueras". During that time she woke up from her coma, Valentina was immediately filled in on what had happened during the time she got knocked out.

"By the way Tina, look at your right hand." her Tia said once Valentina stopped after a minute or so of crying. Valentina gazed curiously, turning her hand, palm down. There, she saw what seemed to be a Black colored marking on her hand, with a White diamond shape in the middle. Raising a questioning brow, she looked back towards her Tia.

"It seemed to have appeared on.. 'that day'. Don't you remember?" Tia explained, recalling back to when she saw a bright light emitting from the same hand when Valentina screamed for the loss of his brother.

Valentina shook her head, shrugging off the memory. That day was when she discovered that she was given a "Miracle". But surprisingly, not only her, but as well as her Tia, Tio and cousins. For more months and months, Valentina discovered and understood more of her power as she practiced with it everyday, ever since she knew about it.