One Hundred Broken Mirrors| Camilo Angst | Encanto

Sometimes Reaching Out Doesn't Help

Camilo followed his older sister into the room next to his, the deafening sound of the ceremony still alive. He shivered at the awful memories he had there.

Dolores hesitated before opening the door, eyeing the engraving planted on it. She then shook her head and turned it open.

Inside contained a huge, open area, built like an orchestra pit, with a wide stage, lit up by golden lights. An old piano sat in the middle, dusty and sprinkled with cobwebs.

Many other instruments were laid out around the room, from guitars to flutes, from brass to percussion. Just about every musical instrument you could name, Dolores had it.

Camilo looked around the incredibly large room, no mirror in sight. For him it felt like an old welcoming greeted him the moment he stepped inside. He had forgotten the old fragrance that wafted around, clean and fresh.

How long has it been since I've been here?

He couldn't remember. Every moment the two siblings had together in this specific room was blurry and fading away, like a dream. Dolores walked over to the stage, a four poster bed was laid out at the very back of the stage, lit stairs leading up to it. For everyone else, Dolore's room could easily pass as Camilos.

Both siblings sat at the front of the bed. Dolores waited a moment before saying anything. Then spoke.

"Being forced to hear anything and everything isn't always fun, sometimes it can be so loud that I just feel like searching for a way to get rid of my gift for good," She smiled sadly.

Camilo had always known this, but never brought it up. "It definitely doesn't sound fun," He looked her clenched hands. "If I could, I'd probably trade my 'gift' with yours,"

"It would be nice to not have to hear anything and relax for a bit,"

Silence snuck it's way between the two.

"Camilo, I have a question, are you.. really happy with your gift?" Dolores finally said.

Her brothers shoulders fell.

"I don't even know..." Camilo looked away from his sister. "I don't know if I'm supposed to put up with it or not, I don't know whether to keep using it as much as possible to at least try and make people happy,"

"So.. you want to make people happy? Is that it,"

"I feel useless if I don't,"

"Who's saying that you're useless?" Dolores slightly giggled.

"Abuela, Isabela-"

"Abuela doesn't think you're not worth anything," Dolores assured.

"Mhm, sure," Camilo said unconvincingly.

"Why do you think you're useless?"

"I never said that-"

"Why do you think you're useless." Dolores repeated.

"....I don't know...... shapeshifting isn't helping the family I guess,"

"The gifts aren't about helping the family-"

"What else could they be about then? All Abuelas ever done is use our gifts as an excuse to make us do what she wants, because she thinks without them we're broken or something! Don't you see how controlling she's been? To me?"

"I know she can be a bit obsessed sometimes-"

"Sometimes??? Do you even know the things she's said to me? To Mirabel?" Camilo began raising his voice.