The Adventures Of Gabriella, Camilo & Miguel

Juanita

~CAMILO POV~

The four of us followed Hector into a dark part of the city. I could feel Ella clutching my hand tightly.

"Why the heck would you want to be a musician?" I heard Hector as Miguel.

He shrugged. "My great-great grandpa was a musician!"

Hector scoffed. "Who spent his whole life like a monkey for complete strangers. No thank you."

Miguel rolled his eyes, huffing in annoyance. "What do you know?"

"So how far away is this guitar?" Ella asked, trying to keep the two from fighting.

"We're almost there." 

He jumped off and ledge, and put himself back together before we quickly followed after him. We walked through a brick opening with a bunch of paintings on it. The closer we got, the more I could hear low and distorted music playing, along with a few voices of people talking. The entire place was run down, it looked as if it had been abandoned for years.

"Cousin Hector!" Someone shouted. "Hey! These guys! Hey Tio!"

Miguel, Ella and I looked at each other confused. "These people all your family?"

Hector shrugged. "Eh. In a way. We're all the ones with no photos or ofrendas. No family to go home to. Nearly forgotten, you know? So, we all call each other cousin, Tio, whatever."

"Tia Chelo!" Hector laughed, pouring the woman a drink, as well as himself.  "Hey, save some for me! Is Chicharron around?"

"Eh, in the bungalow. I don't know if he's in the mood for visitors."

Despite that, Hector made his way over to the house, Miguel, Ella and I following behind him. "Who doesn't like a visit from cousin Hector?"

We followed him in, and I looked around in shock. The entire place was piled in trash and old things. I couldn't believe how messy it was. Abuela would have killed us if our rooms ever got this messy.

Hector walked up to a hammock, lifting up a hat, revealing a skeleton underneath it. "Buenas noches, Chicharron!"

"I don't want to see your stupid face Hector."

I was taken back by how blunt and rude he was. But Hector just waved it off.

"Come on," Hector said. "It's Dia de Muertos. We brought you a little offering."

Hector set down the shot glass, but Chicharron turned away. "Get out of here."

Hector sighed and said, "I would, Cheech. But the thing is, me and my friends, Miguel, Camilo and Gabriella, we really need to borrow your guitar."

The skeleton in the hammock flew up and grabbed his guitar. "My guitar?"

"Yes."

"My prized beloved guitar?"

"I promise we'll bring it right back." Hector said.

Chicharron didn't like that at all. "Like the time you promised to bring back my van? Or my mini fridge? Or my good napkins? My lasso? My femur?"

I stepped back slightly as he fussed over all the things Hector had borrowed without giving back. Suddenly, he dropped down, glowing orange, and he shook.

"You okay, amigo?" Hector asked, going to his side.

"I'm fading Hector. I can feel it. I couldn't even play that thing if I wanted to." He looked at the guitar, then back at Hector. "You. Play me something."

He recoiled back in surprise.

"You know we don't play anymore," Hector started.

"You want it, you got to earn it."

Hector shakily grabbed the guitar and strummed it. "Any requests?"

"You know my favorite Hector."

Hector glanced down, and he began to play.

"Well, everyone knows Juanita. Her eyes each a different color. Her teeth stick out and her chin goes in. And her...." Hector looked over at the three of us before quickly saying, "knuckles, they drag on the floor."

"Those aren't the words." Chicharron snapped.

"There are children present." He answered, before finishing the song. "Her hair is like a briar. She stands in a bow-legged stance. And if I weren't so ugly, she'd possibly give me a chance."

As the he finished, Chicharron let out a breathy laugh. "Brings back memories. Gracias." With one last breath, his body glowed orange and he turned to dust.

Ella gasped as she clutched my hand tighter and looked away. Hector took a shot, and placed the cup back down, his head hung low.