𝒮𝑒𝑒 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻 <<Bruno Madrigal>>>

Chapter 3

He didn't know how long it took or how many hours it was, but Angelo never stopped up until he tripped, it was then that he came back to his senses. The boy was too tired to even lift himself back up. 'It was all my fault....' he played in his mind over and over again. Angelo was drowning in guilt, tears threatening to flow from his eyes which he couldn't hold in anymore. 'I'm such a burden. I'm such a weakling. That should've been me, he didn't deserve to get killed.' His sobs turned into screams in agony. Good thing no one's nearby, it was so heart-wrenching that even the animals would quietly sympathize to his cries.

He started punching the ground, throwing every rock he could find until all he could touch was moist soil. Angelo rested his back on a tree, crying in anger, crying in grief, he wanted to blame the old woman for seeing that fortune. She was right after all, grief did come for him right at that perfect moment. But no, Angelo shouldn't blame this on anyone but himself. If he stopped doing his unlawful ways, none of this would've happened. 'She's just looking into my year's future, if anything, I should be grateful for the warning,' He wipes his tears away, finally setting his thoughts straight.

His breath evens out as well as his heartbeat, he ran out without thinking too much into it, he didn't even have time to get any few money left in his secret stash, not that it would've helped him anyway. Angelo was already too deep into the forest, money wouldn't help him get anything out here.

'Wait a minute,' his brows furrowed. He reaches for the bag and drags it on his legs, taking the slab out that his father had told him to get. Even he hadn't known about this so it has to be something of great worth. As soon as the top part had shown through the fabric, he can see that whatever is inside is glowing a bright green color. Angelo continued to unwrap it, words couldn't describe what he's seeing right now. This rectangular slab of jadeite glass depicts and image of him and his mother, hugging each other. The surface was smooth that it didn't have any traces of sketch, but it seems like it's the most recent image of him side by side with his mother whom had died when he was merely eight years old.

"The youngest and only male child of the founder had the power to see the future. He shows it using a mirror glowing in green after the sand had subsided."

He remembers his mother's words. Angelo shakes his head, wrapping it up again, 'There's just no way this is true.' A paper falls out in between the folds, written in capital letters was the name Encanto. He grabs it, turning it around, to his surprise it was a map. There's only one part encircled here, that must be where this.... mythical place is. The boy scoffs, feeling a bit ridiculous to believe such a thing at this point in time, but he did promised he'd find it, and he had no where else to go.

High above the mountain he stood, his mouth wide in shock, "....I can't believe it."

Encanto, a small town hidden within the mountains. There really was a town here, and it wasn't written on the map. Angelo felt his heart beat rapidly in excitement of finding a new place, yet at the same time, he wanted to make a full change of himself. He cannot do the same mistakes here.

The town was bustling, and only a few had started to notice him. They all looked so traditional compared to what he's wearing. He kind of regretted not grabbing any other clothes than the one he's had. Angelo's been traveling for days so he's sure to be really stinky right now.

"Hi there!" A curly haired girl waved at him a few feet from his left. He waves back, expecting her to leave him alone, but she had other plans. "I see you're headed towards the casita. Is there anything we can help you with?"

"Well.... I'm kind of... just got here. But I do have some inquiries about something," he nods, looking at the end of the straight road, which he notices just now that it leads up to one big house up the hill, "Is that where the mayor lives?"

"Mayor?" she tries to maintain a smile despite not knowing what he's asking about. "I don't know about that, but as you've probably have known—or might now have known—I'm also part of that family living up there. So any questions you have, you can pass it on to me."

"I-I think I should probably get going," this girl acts similarly to one of those shams he had been with many times before. Better not stay here any longer.

"Or—! I could lead you to the head of the town. You know how she is, she's really busy everyday helping people and stuff."

"Really?" he forces a lopsided smile.

"Yup. Come on, I heard she's coming over to see the new farm." Angelo couldn't refuse, he isn't used to this place so he really needed some guidance. They walked quite a distance into the woods, she was eerily quiet and led them at the front. Soon, they stop walking. The boy raised a brow and looks around, there wasn't any farm nearby. He was about to ask until the girl sharply turns around and points a finger at him, "You're not from around here, aren't you?"

He was stunned. Angelo knew he didn't try to act as someone who's lived around here, but he didn't expect to be led to the forest to face his death not nearly an hour after coming here. "N-No. I'm from somewhere far from here."

She adjusts her glasses, looking him up and down, "How did you find this place? Do all outsiders dress up like that? How many of you are in here?"

"One at a time, please," he raises his hands up, backing towards a nearby boulder.

"Why did you come here? You're not here to ravage our lands, are you?"

"What?! No! I just came here in behalf of my...." He's an outsider, he needed to be careful of his words. Who knows, his father might be a wandering criminal from this area. Angelo sighs and surrenders in a calm manner, "Look, I just have a few questions, and if I'm not welcome here, I can leave right away. I just have to see if my relatives are here."

"Relatives?" she lowers her guard a bit, but still maintained that wariness and curiosity. "Have you... been here before?"

"No. My father and mother were, as I've been told."Her eyes wanders down to his arms where he clutched a rectangular object covered in fabric. His eyes travelled down to it as well, wondering if it would be of any help in his situation, "My father kept this hidden years even before I was born—I think? It may have come from here so if you could... you know... help me figure out where my relatives could possibly be?" This is quite a small town after all. Angelo uncovers a bit of the slab, but the instance she got a look of it, her eyes widens in shock, looking right back at him as if he had just said something absurd.

"Your father... owned this?"

"Yes," he nodded, covering it up again.

"What's your name?"

"Angelo. Angelo Madrigal."

There were a few seconds of contemplation evident in her eyes before the girl nods at him, grabbing his arm and dragging themselves to a particular direction.

"S-So you know who my relatives are?" he asks in relief and confusion.

"Not sure. But we may wanna confirm this with Abuela before agreeing with that."

"Who's abuela?"

The curly haired girl looks back at him, "Our abuela."