𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗮𝘁 | 𝗠. 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮[UNDER EDITING]

➪𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲

We hurry down the stairs as Miguel still has his grip on my wrist. We quickly swerve behind said stairs so we can't not be seen. Dante starts to trail off out in the open, but we quickly pull him back with us. Miguel and I gaze up to see his family already notifying the police about us. Just great. The boy next to me gasps while I look around for an escape.

I point to a circling door and start to go towards them while covering my face. "Vamonos."

"We got a family looking for two living kids," A security woman says into her walkie-talkie.

"If I want to be a musician, I need a musician's blessing. We got to find my great-great-grandpa." Miguel mutters to me. I nod my head, still anxious about this whole situation. I suddenly feel someone's hand grab my shoulder. 

"Hold it, muchacho," The person says. I gulp as the two of us slowly turn around, smiling sheepishly.

The guy yelps and pulls out his walkie-talkie. "I-I found those living kids--!"  Luckily, a crowd pushes their way in between us, blocking the man from us. As quick as possible I grab Miguel's hand and bolt to the nearest hiding place. Once we're there I cover his mouth with my hand, making sure he doesn't give us a chance to get caught. After a few moments, I sigh in relief and let go of Miguel. The man realizes we are gone. 

"No, no. Dante!" I hear Miguel whisper-shout. I whip my head around to see that the dog is making his way into an open door.

Crap.

We follow on his heel, making sure no one hears or sees us. Once I get a hold of Dante, Miguel pushes us into a corner. People are talking on the other side of the wall. One voice is very familiar.

"Disturbing the peace, fleeing an officer, falsifying a unibrow. . ." A bored police officer lists off a man's charges.

"That's illegal?" The other guy says, mentioning the last thing. I realize where that voice comes from now. It's the guy who tried to cross the bridge earlier, the one without a photo! I listen to the conversation eagerly.

"Very illegal. You need to clean up your act, amigo."

The man in trouble is oddly relieved to hear that. "Amigo? Oh, that's so nice to hear you say that because I just had a. . .really hard Dia de Muertos. And I could really use an amigo right now." The police officer sighs as the man goes on. "And, amigos, they help their amigos. Listen, you get me across that bridge tonight, and I'll make it worth your while. Oh, you like de la Cruz? He and I go way back!"

Miguel perks up at that, looking at me with excited eyes. I glance at him unsurely, but he simply continues to listen to the conversation. Don't know if he knows it, but criminals tend to lie. Like, a lot. 

"I can get you front-row seats to his Sunrise Spectacular show. I-I'll get you backstage. You can meet him! You just got to let me cross that bridge!" He speaks with some desperation in his voice, making me feel a stab of sympathy for him.

But the police officer isn't buying it. "I should lock you up for the rest of the holiday. But my shift's almost up, and, I want to go visit my living family. So I'm letting you off with a warning." He hands him what sounded like a piece of paper. 

As the delinquent is about to walk out he asks annoyed, "Can I at least get my costume back?"

"Uh. . .no."

He groans and makes his way out, muttering curses under his breath. Miguel looks at me with pleading eyes.

I sigh. "Fine." His eyes light up and he pulls Dante and me out of there, calling out to the man.