Tap Through The Beat

Meeting Hector

You have no idea the wonderful relief I had when I found myself full of flesh and the skeletal pinky was gone. Also, there were no more skeletons!

I turned to Miguel who was staring out of the window in awe "Come on, let's head back to the plaza and find someone else you can borrow too" I said but Miguel grabbed the guitar and before both of us knew it, we were back in the clerk's office.

Since Miguel was right in front of me and the table behind me, lets just say that I found myself pinned by Miguel as he crashed on me "Quítate de encima!" I screamed and blushed bright red. Miguel gave a small noise and quickly got off me, rubbing his head in the process.

"Two seconds and you already broke your promise!"

Mama Imelda said, pointing a bony finger at Miguel. Papa Fernando and Mama Coralie raised their invisible eyebrows at me. Obviously they saw the position I was in. I shook my head before Miguel spoke "This isn't fair, it's my life!" Miguel said, grabbing the fallen marigold petal before asking each and every one of his relatives for their blessing.

Which they denied as quick as Miguel asked. Miguel turned to his great great grandmother "You really hate music that much?" Imelda was quick to retort "I will not let you walk the same path he did!" I saw a swirl of anger, hate but most of all...pain. I saw the heartbreak and the pain she went through and felt bad for this woman despite not knowing her.

Miguel froze and slowly took out the family photo of Imelda and her family "The same path he take..." Oh no, I know that look anywhere! He glanced at me and smiled while my eyes went wide. His family began to crowd around him, saying to give up music.

Miguel quickly grabbed my hand and slwoly backed out of the door "Um...con permiso, I have to use the restroom. Angelita come with me, we'll be right back" No sooner had Miguel slammed the door, he was already pulling me down to the flight of stairs with Dante trailing behind us.

"Do you even realize this is considered kidnapping?!"

I whispered as Miguel and I hid behind the flight of stairs. Dante walked passed us but we pulled him in just before our families went out to talk to the security personnel. I never thought I would end up being chased by the police and I think I just tainted my name.

"Follow me and don't look up"

Miguel said, zipping his jacket. He went out and grabbed a hat and placed it on me. The three of us walked briskly when I accidentally bumped into a police man.

Oh Why Angelita, WHY?!

The three of us froze as the police man hastily radioed the others when we were being blocked by a group passing carts. Miguel, Dante and I darted to a room and hid in a pile of files when we heard voices of a police man and someone else just behind us.

We ignored the two of them at first when the anonymous voice mentioned he knew Ernesto de la Cruz. Miguel and I looked at each other "He knows your grandfather?" We pressed ourselves closer when the man walked out with a warning list in his hands.

He was yellow and chipped not to mention lanky and almost about to fall apart. We quickly followed after him "Hey! Hey! You know de la Cruz?!" Miguel yelled and in the back of my mind, I realized we were out in the open.

"Who wants to - AY! You're alive!" The skeleton screamed as he pointed a bony finger at the two of us. Miguel and I pulled him in a nearby phone stall. Miguel looked at the skeleton as if what he said was the obvious thing in the world "Yeah we're both alive and if we have to get back to the Land of the Living, I need de la Cruz's blessing" The skeleton looked at Miguel weirdly.

"That is weirdly specific" I turned to look out of the window. No sign of our families "He's my great gret grandfather" Miguel said exhasperately. The skeleton suddenly looked like he was having a hard time breathing "He's your great - great - wh - What!" Miguel and I gagged when he litterally let his eyes roll back and ended up in his mouth.

The skeleton popped back his eyes in the sockets and began contemplating. I waited in tense silence. Any minute now and our families will locate us we need to move now!

"Your going back to the Land of The Living!?" The skeleton said once again this time a bit hopeful. Miguel and I began to feel uncomfortable "You know what, maybe we should just go..." As we made a move to go out of the booth, the skeleton grabbed our attention.

I really didn't have time for this!

As the skeleto began explaining that we could help each other, I saw the faces of Miguel's family and my family behind them. They were not pleased.

"MIGUEL!"

"ANGELITA!"

Miguel and I gasped in horror while the oblivious skeleton held out his hand in greeting "I'm Hector" Miguel quickly grabbed his hand and pulled us away "That's nice!" We dashd outside the front gates of the Terminal when I heard someone snapping their fingers. Grabbing Miguel, we made faces of disgust when we saw the arm of Hector in Miguel's grasp.

"Where did he go?"

"¡ Espérenme, muchachos!"

We turned to see Hector limp running behind us and before our families coud see us, we disappeared into the crowd. Hector ran beside us, looking confused "Tell me why are we running?" I quickly thought up of something before Miguel could.

"Police were after us" Miguel looked at me like I was his savior and Hector seemed to buy that before he turned to me "We need to find you something to blend you in, I know just how to do it" I really don't have much of a choice so I merely followed wherever Hector went so that it would be hard for our families to find us

Dios Mio!, I sound like a wanted criminal or an outlaw!