Coco fanfic-To Be Forgotten

The Dream

CHAPTER 1

Miguel's POV

'Where am I?' My eyebrows scrunched as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, taking in my surroundings.

There were buildings all around me, covered in the light of the fading sun. Overgrown weeds towered in front of the old wooden structures, giving what may have once been a beautiful neighborhood a rundown look. Most of the buildings were houses, with nailed-up boards covering the windows and doors, and faded 'for sale' signs just barely visible through the tall grass. However, one small house still looked to be in use, and I could see a light coming from within.

I walked towards it slowly, looking all around me as the wind blew through the plants, making eerie noises that sent shivers up my neck. The sun had set completely by the time I reached the house, and looking at it again I realized how tiny it truly was. It was one-story, looking to only have a few rooms. I bit my lip nervously as I contemplated what I should do for a moment, before knocking.

"Woah!" I exclaimed loudly as my hand went through the rotting wood. I pulled it back quickly, taking sharp, shallow breaths as I tried to figure out what had happened. 'Am I a spirit again...?' My eyes widened as I stared at my fingers in horror. 'The last thing I remember is going to bed.'
I tried to recall how I got here, to no avail. 'Maybe someone in there can help me,' I hoped, swallowing the lump in my throat.

A few moments passed before I tentatively raised my hand again, slowly letting my arm pass through the door. It didn't hurt, so I carefully stuck my head through the door as well. I looked around, realizing the place was practically empty. With the light from the full moon shining brightly outside, I could see there was no wood or drapes covering the window. The walls had peeling, yellow paint, and there was nothing that revealed who lived there as far as pictures or paintings went. I could hear voices coming from somewhere in the house, so I walked through the rest of the door, searching the building for the occupants.

I scurried through the entry room, making my way to the living room. I grimaced at the rotten smell as I walked through the passageway. Glancing around, I noticed an old, ugly-looking couch with a moth-eaten sheet over it, and two large chairs that looked to be used recently, as they were the only objects that didn't have a thick layer of dust. The windows had no covering over them, leaving the wooden ground near them moldy from years of rain. The moonlight cast twisted shadows on the wall, the darkness moving as the trees and plants outside swayed in the wind.

Looking closer at the floor, I could see shoe prints in the dust. There were two paths, one leading back to the front of the house, and the other through a door I could barely make out in the moonlight. 'It must be the bedroom,' I reasoned, as I could hear muffled voices coming from within. I took a deep breath, before reluctantly walking to the closed door, an uneasy feeling stirring in my stomach. I looked behind me one more time, then hesitantly passed through the door.

The voices instantly became clear as I entered the room. I gasped, my eyes widening as I realized who the voices belonged to. "No more, Ernesto," Papá Héctor ordered as he finished packing his bag. "I miss my family. I don't want to spend another day away from them."

Papá Héctor headed for the door. I jumped when Ernesto moved to grab him, a vicious snarl on his face. I was about to try to intervene, when Ernesto seemed to think better of assaulting Papá Héctor, straightening with a large, fake-looking smile.

"Alright, my old amigo. I understand," he said with a sympathetic look as Papá Héctor stopped at the door, turning slightly to face Ernesto. "You have a beautiful wife to go home to, and a young daughter to raise. Who am I to try to keep you waiting?" The large man said with a small, sad chuckle."Let's have one last toast to our friendship though, that we may part as friends before you go back home." Ernesto grinned, but I could see a dark glint in his eyes in the lantern's dim light.