The Symptoms

It had been half a year since that fateful night. A night where a living child walked the land of the dead.

A child who had discovered more than he ever bargained for. An adventure he would certainly never forget.

The world around him was colorful. That was the first thing he registered. It was colorful, like the colors themselves formed the buildings.

The second, was a distinct scent. The gentle scent of marigold flowers and the feeling of trying to walk through seemingly a sea of the petals.

There were people all around him but it was so different. Skeletons in colorful clothing, chatting up a storm to one another or guiding each other across.

He could see a group coming up to meet him. This should have startled him but it didn't. Because these were people he knew.

He knew them and loved them.

The boy rushed forward to embrace the skeleton of an older woman, who stumbled back a bit in surprise. She relaxed, bringing her arms around him stroking his back. He felt such joy being right here with her… but some sadness as well.

"I missed you." He whispered, burying his face.

"And I've missed you mijo. We all have."

The boy, Miguel looked up at the figures all around him, a grin coming to the living boy's face.

"I know Mama Coco… and I've missed all of you too."

I still miss you.

Miguel sighed a little as he started to awaken from the dream. He hated how it ended every time. Just when he was about to tell them everything about how he's been, he had to wake up.

Not that he ever wanted to stay there forever - he had his whole life to get to that but it still felt so soon. He sat up, slumping over, bringing his hands to his face. He took a shaky breath.

He knew she was where she was supposed to be. With everyone who she missed so dearly.

But it didn't mean he didn't miss her or that now that he knew what they were like, that he didn't miss his relatives either.

Miguel looked up across the room at his desk where his guitar and song notebook rested near. Every time he had the dream, he added to that book. He got up, making his way quietly to it.

The strangest thing he could note was those types of dreams didn't stop. They started long before Coco passed away, the day after his night in the Land of the Dead.

But they hadn't stopped. Even when he was initially dreaming about something else, it always changed to that place.

The boy opened up his song book, picking up his guitar gingerly. He strummed experimentally, playing a few chords.

He sometimes wondered if he was losing his mind.

"They say that I'm crazy…" He sang, more so whispered to himself. "They call me a fool…" He picked up a pencil, jotting down the words.

Miguel picked up the strumming, closing his eyes for a moment as he took in the sound.

"But last night it seemed that I dreamed about you…" He sang softly before putting the guitar away for now, closing his notebook. He would think of more lyrics later - if he had more dreams.

This song was different from the others he was trying to think of. This one just didn't seem to flow when he was trying to actively focus on it.

It just came and went like a whisper in the night.

Miguel yawned, stretching his arms over his head. A glance to the window told him it was around when he normally woke up.

His stomach growled.

There was also the scent of his mother's huevos rancheros cooking.

Music was his everything - but he couldn't play on an empty stomach either.

I'll figure these dreams out. I gotta.

oooooo

"He's back again."

The Rivera compound in the Land of the Dead had noticed something odd as well. A few months after Coco had arrived, they started to see a figure walking in their home.

They would've likened it to a haunting had they not been spirits themselves but it was no spirit. It was someone very much alive and who had no business being there.

Coco sighed as she watched a boy wearing a familiar red hoodie walk through the wall that would've led to his bedroom in the living world. It was concerning all of them.

Miguel had no business being there. He shouldn't have even been able to cross the bridge yet there he was, almost like clockwork every single night. Going about his day as if he was living there. They tried multiple times to get his attention, to guide him from one room to the next but it was like touching and talking to thin air. Nothing.

Right now, she and Hector sat in the kitchen, waiting to see what would happen next.

"Do you think he's alright Papa?" She asked, concern in her eyes. Hector gave her a gentle look, running a hand through her hair.

"I'm sure he is, mi'ja." Hector shrugged a little. "We just don't know what's going on yet. No one's heard of this happening before."

Whatever's happening though, something tells me even Miguel isn't aware of it.

Coco nodded, bringing an arm around him. Even though she was old in form and soul, she was still trying to make up for lost time as best as she could. Hector was more than happy to return the embrace, resting his head against his daughter's.

"I just don't want to lose anyone else."

"And we won't."

They heard Imelda give a yell from her workshop as they jumped.

"WE NEED TO PUT A BELL ON THIS CHILD!"

"... Julio might have one." Coco remarked as their eyes followed Imelda, following the ghostly form of Miguel.

"We're going to find an answer to this. I am not dropping my sewing machine AGAIN!"

Hector cringed, knowing how hard that machine was to repair, even if they could just walk right out and get another, it was the principal of the thing.

If they ever got to tell Miguel about this, he knew the boy was never going to hear about the time he unintentionally made Mama Imelda drop her sewing machine.

"Mi'ja, I'm gonna make sure your Mama doesn't do anything she regrets."

"I'm going to ask Julio about that bell."

Hector hurried after his wife, Coco going to find her husband.

Just what is going on?

oooooo

Miguel normally was the one who made the most conversation during meals. Especially when Mama Coco had been alive. At her former place, sat Socorro's high chair, the infant babbling at her brother whenever he looked up. Miguel gave her strained smiles, trying to avoid eye contact with the rest of his family.

His day had not been a very good one. He had woken up from another strange dream and found himself with a massive headache all day.

He also noted that the town seemed a little bigger than usual. Buildings in previously empty lots, or side streets he knew hadn't been there previously but no one was taking notice so he kept quiet.

"Miguel, you're not eating." Luisa spoke up, concern in her eyes. "Do you feel alright?"

"Hm? Si Mama." He replied, spooning a bit of rice into his mouth. It was a pity his appetite wasn't really there, he decided.

It was Arroz Con Pollo night, one of his favorite meals. He had a whole leg quarter to himself, and he didn't even have the appetite for it. "I have a headache." He replied before his eyes widened in terror as he felt another set of eyes on him.

His cousins gave him looks of pity. They too realized what a mistake he had just made.

"I'll get the vaporu!"

Miguel in what felt like an instant was swept away to his bedroom, tucked into bed and using his pillow as a means of scrubbing off the vaporub that had been slapped onto his forehead.

"GAH!"

The teen flopped back onto his bed, wondering what was wrong with him.

He doubted vaporu would fix crazy.

I'm going pollo loco.

He looked outside to see taller buildings had appeared in wondrous colors, lighting up the town in a bright warm glow.

Miguel scrunched his nose up as he took notice no one had seemed to react at the sudden buildings.

He was convinced he was going insane. There was nothing else he could think of. If this was like what had happened the year prior he would've been more relaxed. Walk to the checkpoint, say he's lost, wait for angry but relieved Riveras and maybe get a hug from Papa Hector and Mama Coco.

But there was no way to go back as far as he knew. Not unless he had taken another item off an ofrenda or a grave.

And he was NOT doing that again.

Miguel laid in his bed, wondering how he was going to fix this. He wanted to ask for help. Go to Luisa and tell her what was really going on.

He didn't even know how to approach such a subject with his mother.

He closed his eyes sighing.

Who would believe him?