Grief that Runs a River

Chapter Nine: Water Does Wash Away Sins, Sometimes

After school, Mirabel walked around town looking at her so-called family doing their chores while she was stuck with more math homework. This isn't fair, she pouted as she looked over Isabela, gracefully shaking her hips to an invisible beat. Why does she have to act like she's all too good and polite when all she ever did to me was mess things up?!

The fifth grader was already annoyed with the additional mathematics homework because Camilo decided to piss off their maestro by acting out silly things with the encouragement of their classmates. He started being so invested in what the other kids said about him. He was becoming more obnoxious as the days went by. Until one day, he befriended Ricardo and his troop. He would become ashamed of being related to her, the giftless Madrigal.

She hates them for being wanted. She never felt that with the town or with the family. She wanted to run away, anywhere but there. Every waking hour of her life has been miserable. She felt the pitying stares, and even though she's not Dolores, she heard the hushed snickers from the older women.

She kicked a stray pebble in her way, sending it flying into the clear river. She stared as it plopped and sank down to the bottom. She began picking up stones to throw. With increasing speed, Mirabel almost cleaned it off.

After she blew off some steam, she quietly sat down on the bridge parapet. The nine-year-old took out her notebook and began writing and doodling.

Mira, mira. Look everyone, it's the giftless Madrigal!" She knew that that loud and grating voice belonged to

"What do you want, Ricardo?" Her brown eyes squinted behind her green frames.

"Nothing. I just want to take this away from you, weirdo." Ricardo said as he snatched the notebook.

In his best Mirabel-mocking voice, he read, "Dear Diary, today was amazing! I met a nice lady on the river!" He turned the pages looking for something better, "There was a cute boy in class. I hadn't noticed him much back then. He looked pretty when he was reading an excerpt from Guatimocin. He had silky chocolate skin. His emerald orbs are what captured my heart. Even Tia's or Camilo's can't compare with his. The twinkle in his eyes whenever our maestro complimented his work could outshine the stars in the night."

"You write this kind of trash?" The whole group laughed with him, except for one person.

"Give it back! That's mine!" Mirabel jumped trying to seize the thing in his hand.

"Oh there's a doodle!" Ricardo thought for a second, "And it looks like our buddy here, Santiago!"

"I said stop Ricardo! Haven't you done enough?!" She shouted as her ears reddened. "I had enough of you teasing me. All you did was provoke me. You are just like me, GIFTLESS. And you will never get one."

"Well I- You'll regret what you said." He grabbed a fistful of hair and shoved her into the river.

–

Back in the Casita, Dolores was listening to furious scribbles of a pen and the mutters of an aching heart.

"Dolores? I've been calling you for the past five minutes." She was snapped back to reality with her tia's laughter.

"Oh tia lo siento. Do you need anything from me?"

"I just wanted to ask if you know where my daughters are?"

"Well, I listened to them earlier, and Isabela was at the Guzmans', Luisa was rounding up the donkeys by the farm of Don Ortiz, and Mirabel was playing at the river. Nothing to be worried about!"

"Gracias mija." Her tia kissed her on the forehead. "Now, take a break from hearing everything." Julieta said as she walked down the stairs.

–

Mirabel was sinking deeper and deeper into the crimson waters. Blood escaped through her cut and her mouth, and she could feel every ounce of her strength and her mouth, and she could feel every ounce of her strength draining away.

She swallowed and tasted iron.

And she coughed out what she had taken in.

Red was all that she could see.

In the last minutes of her consciousness, she heard a distorted voice.

Mirabel.

Mirabel.

Wake up.

Wake up.

This isn't your time to go yet.

She stared at the gleaming waters and saw a cloaked figure and its hand reaching out to her.

–

"Tia! Tia! Mirabel is dying!" Camilo shouted across the door.

Julieta bolted to the door, where she saw her daughter wet and covered in blood.

"Dios Mio! What happened?" The two boys exchanged looks and just shrugged.

"Mija don't sleep." She held her daughter's face and turned her back to shout, "Agustin! Agustin! Get some food!"

"Agustin! Our daughter's dying. Can you please be quick?!"

"Mirabel. Hold on, Mija. Papi's getting food for you now." At exactly the right time, Agustin brought with him a bowl of soup. He held on to the weight of their daughter whilst his wife shakenly fed Mirabel soup.

They waited for a while.

Mirabel stirred in her unconscious state, waking up. She saw her worried parents and the two boys who brought her inside the casita.

She locked eyes with Santi. Ashamed of what happened, she ran away.

The girl ran to the only place where she felt safe, the forest.

"Mama? Mama? Where are you? I'm hurt!" She cried, now noticing the pain in her arm.

Mirabel gingerly held her injured arm as she crashed to the forest floor, crying for her mother to save her.

"Mija, what happened?" The figure asked, soothing her hair.

"Mama, I'm hurt." She showed the long gash that traveled from her palm to her elbows. Her bloodstained clothes, made her mother's heart ache.

"Oh Mija, let's stitch you up."