The Lights They Snuffed Out

🕯Chapter 1 🕯

Mirabel pushed open the shop's door, the bell ringing above her head, signaling a customer. She instantly locked eyes with the owner, Señora Garza. The teen attempted to put on one of her usual, warm smiles, and the corners of the older woman's mouth upturned in response. The twinkle didn't quite extend to her eyes. Mirabel decided that she was going to be in and out so as to not give the lady a hard time.

"Buenos días, Señora Garza,"

"Buenos días, what can I assist you with today?"

"I need one roll of yellow fabric, Señora, the one with the orange stars."

The girl's smile had grown a little bigger for extra measure, but the woman's seemed to have completely diminished.

"Oh... well, I'm sorry Mirabel, but I just sold the last roll this morning." After becoming the bearer of bad news, the woman feared that the young Madrigal would be displeased with her as she always had what the girl wanted.

Mirabel simply made her way towards the door, not displaying any signs of hostility.

"No worries, Señora, I'll just come by next week. Do you think you'll have more by then?"

"Y-Yes, of course, I'll be restocked this weekend," the older woman answered, letting out a small sigh of relief. She could never be thankful enough that the little girl was nothing like her family as she waved bye.

The teen returned the gesture before letting the door fall behind her, silently cursing as she had needed the fabric before Friday.

The short-haired girl only made it a few steps outside before bumping straight into a towering frame.

The once blue sky had rapidly shifted to murk, and Mirabel's hands shot up to her ears as deafening thunder boomed throughout the valley. The being whirled towards the teen, and she soon found herself staring into the eyes of her tía Pepa. The redhead at first glared at what felt like into the young teen's soul, but as quickly as it presented itself, the rage dwindled as the woman discerned the girl as her youngest sobrina. As her aunt's mood calmed, the roaring overhead began to subside.

Mirabel didn't even notice that her tío was also present, as she was still aiming to steady her own heart rate.

"Ah, Mirabel! What have you been up to, pequeña?" Felix spoke, his grin wide, while Pepa's, however, seemed strained.

"Are you by yourself, cariño?" Her aunt asked, candidly.

It was just a question, but she knew the essence behind it. At first, it was sweet to see Pepa fretting about her, like she was her own child, but she was at that age now where it was starting to become irritating. Playfully, Mirabel huffed and rolled her eyes, not wanting to get her aunt worked up again.

"Tía, I'm fine. Look, we can even see Casita from here."

It still backfired as her aunt's eyes narrowed, making the girl wish she could retract that remark.

"Y-Yeah, I'm by myself, but I told mama before I left."

"I was just getting some fabric from Señora Garza." She explained, pointing back to the door from where she had exited.

The duo glanced down before their expressions turned confused, as she did not have anything in her hands.

"Oh... well, Senora said I couldn't get any today because—"

It didn't register right away as the words were leaving her lips, but when the increased humidity began entering her nostrils, she knew she had made a grave error.

But she realized too late as Pepa had already brushed past her, a mini storm cloud following in her wake. The girl watched as her tía threw open the shop's door when a firm grip took hold of her shoulder. Mirabel looked back at her tío, whose amorous gaze was on his wife before glancing at his niece. His entire expression changed upon contact. Malevolent eyes with the side of an amicable smile.