Where I Belong

Welcome To The Land of the Remembered!

I slowly opened my eyes and sat up. There was a dull pain throughout my body like I exercised yesterday. 

“Fabi!” Paimon rushed up to me, “Are you alright?” 

“Yeah, I'm ok.” I said, “Where's-?” I heard groaning and turned my head, gasping. Manolo slowly got up and balanced himself against the tree. He looked at his hands in confusion.

He was a skeleton.

“Wha… What happened to you?!” Paimon exclaimed.

Before he or I could answer, Manolo turned around and gasped in amazement. Paimon and I looked in his direction. I was blown away.

The Land of the Remembered. 

It was a beautiful place with such vibrant colors. There were sugar skull-shaped balloons floating into the sky with beautiful music in the air. Every time I saw this in the movie, I was always captivated. Nothing could prepare me for how beautiful this place is in person.

“Wow! What is this beautiful place?” Paimon asked with stars in her eyes.

As if on cue, a skeleton on a horse arrived on a balloon, “Welcome to the Land of the Remembered!” He said as he rode to us.

“I made it.” Manolo said to himself. 

“And on the Day of the Dead, no less.”

“Ahem.” Paimon cleared her throat, making Manolo finally notice us.

“Wait, what are you guys doing here?” He asked.

“I'll explain later.” I said. I looked down and realized me and Paimon still had our skins.

 Paimon noticed too, “Wait, how come we're not…?”

“Maybe it's different for us since we're not from this world.” I whispered. Paimon nodded.

“Yes.” The skeleton on the horse said, “You'll feel a little disoriented at first. Don't try to take it all in at once.”

Manolo wasn't listening, “Where… where is…?”

The skeleton took out a pen and clipboard, “Let's start with your names.”

“Maria Posada!” Manolo blurted out.

“Really?” The skeleton flipped through his papers, “Parents and their crazy baby names. And there's no Maria Posada on my list.”

“No, no. I'm looking for Maria Posada.”

“Oh.”

“My name is Manolo Sanchez.”

“Another Sanchez! That family just keeps on growing. And you two?”

“Oh, uh, I'm Fabi, and this is Paimon.” He quickly jotted us down on the paper.

“My family!” Manolo exclaimed, “They will help me find Maria. Can you take us to them?”

The skeleton helped Manolo up on the horse and Manolo helped me. Paimon held onto my shoulders tightly. “I would love nothing more than to reunite a young couple!” The skeleton said, “Just hold on!” 

The skeleton screamed as we rode down a steep hill. My stomach dropped. It was like a ninety-degree angle. While the rest of us were shrieking in fear, Manolo was shouting in excitement. Glad one of us was having fun.

Finally the road evened out more and we were on the flat ground. 

“You know, I've been down here for years awaiting my beloved honey bunny.” The skeleton told us.