(Hello, been a long time since I've posted anything. I'll try to make this quick. I'm not that used to writing fanfiction anymore, so this might be a little awkward. Also, my spanish isn't the best, so that might be awkward too. Translations to words and phrases will be at the end of the story).
"Another Dia de los Muertos has come and gone, and my photo still has not made it onto the ofrenda," a former man of long legs, and thin stature, proclaims, as he makes his way down to the forgotten parts of town. The deceased man took a swig at half-empty cup of chicha, before tossing the cup aside.
Hector Rivera was a lonely soul. Since his death, almost six years before, he had been trying to find a way to make the most of it here. Being the friendly guy he was, he had plenty of amigos that he loved to spend time with. Playing music in plaza in the center of town, por todo el mundo, was one of his favorite things. It was all great fun and games.
That is, until Dia de los Muertos.
The young man remembered his first Dia de los Muertos. He was so excited to leap across the Marigold Bridge and see his esposa hermosa, and his little mija, his maravillosa Coco. But when going through the gates, they turned him down. His picture was not up on the ofrenda. He tried time and time again that night, before finally being sent away. He checked, every year, and every year, he could not gain access to the bridge.
This was the fifth Dia de los Muertos since his death, and each year it hurt more and more, seeing all his friends crossing the bridge to go see their familia, while he remained here, in the land of the dead. He made only one attempt this year, before turning away, and drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
Hector walked along the unknown path, wondering where it would take him. With his busy lifestyle, he very rarely explored the more empty parts of town. So he was surprised when he noticed a sign, hanging dangerously off of a brick wall. CIUDAD OLVIDADO.
Hector wandered in, and immediately noticed how old and beaten down everything was here. Including the people. Most of the houses had a hole or two in the roof, and the wood would be peeling in several places. The people were worn down, their bones having hints of a yellow tinge, and the clothes they wore were old, and even torn in places.
"Young one, what are you doing here in the land of the forgotten?" an elderly voice alerted him, dragging him out of his thoughts. A lady, with dark brown hair greying ever so slightly, and a dark green dress that had definitely, stared at him, with a simple frown etched into her bones. Her skeleton was a little more yellow than everyone else's, and she seemed to move so slowly. It looked like even just standing there was difficult for her.
"Lo siento, I just happened to come boy. The Land of the forgotten?" he questioned her.
"Yes. All of us here have not been up on the ofrenda in years," she explained simply. "We are being forgotten by our families in the living world." It had not even occured to Hector that his family had forgotten him, he looked down at his shoes, a sad look on his face. "You weren't on the ofrenda this year either, niño?" He shook his head.
"Pobrecito bebé, come inside, I'll make us some tea," she lead him inside her little bungalow, and he pulled out a chair for himself at her table to sit in. He looked around. The place was just as beat up on the inside as it was on the outside. Some pictures hung crooked on the wall. None of them were from the Land of the Living, they were all from the Land of the Dead.
"So, why do you all stay here instead of at least enjoying the nightlife? There are many fiestas for you to enjoy in the plaza." If you couldn't spend Dia de los Muertos with your familia, why not at least enjoy it with some amigos? Hector's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a gasp. He looked up quickly at the older skeleton, to find her bones were glowing an orangish color, that rippled through her very body. Each bone raddled as the light escaped it. He jumped to his feet as she swayed, catching her before she hit the floor. "¿Señora? ¿Qué pasa? You okay? He moved her, supporting most of her weight, and pulling out the chair he was once on a little further so she could sit on it.
"Lo siento, niño. I did not mean to startle you," she breathed. Her voice came out very light, and weak. She looked over at him, as he brought out the other chair to sit near her, after turning off the kettle so neither of them would have to worry about it. "You asked why we all stay here. Well, that's because we are each other's familia. All we have left is each other," she let off a small smile, closing her eyes. It seemed like she was trying to remember something. Then, she faced him once more.
"There is one more reason though. It's so the other people don't have to see us at our lowest. The other reason we are called the forgotten, is because this is a place where many go when their family members are forgetting about them. When there is no one left who remembers us in the living world, we fade from this world. It's called the Final Death," she explained, and her body rattled with another orange glow, swiping away at any energy she had.
Hector stared at her. So there was death, even beyond being deceased? He looked at himself, and then to the old lady. His bones were starting to vaguely show those traces of yellow. There were not many who remembered him, in the world of the living. One day, he would be forgotten. Olvidado. Gone. He felt a boney hand take his own.
"It's alright, niño, we all go eventually, she gave him a kind smile. That's when he realized it. Her body kept glowing like that, because she was fading. He drew a circle in the older woman's hand.
"Señora, is there anything I can do to make your last minutes as comfortable as possible?" Hector asked her.
"If I may lie on my couch, that would be nice. Gracias, niño. He nodded, resting an arm under her back and one under her legs, lifting her frail body gently. He carried the older woman to her couch in the other room, and lied her gently on it. In the corner of the room, he saw an old guitar.
"Do you mind? Hector asked, gesturing to it.
"That would be wonderful," he grabbed the guitar, checking to see if it was in tune, and playing a song for the woman. It was one of his songs that Ernesto did not like as much, saying it was too depressing. Hector sang each word as he played, and the woman listened, her eyes closed, and a smile on her face.
After he finished, the old lady opened her eyes once more. "Gracias," was the final word that passed her lips, before her skeleton glowed once more, before turning into a bunch of orange dust, and fading away.
Hector looked down at the spot where she lay, and then to the guitar in his hands. He stood up, and set the guitar down on the couch, before stepping out of the bungalow. He tipped his hat to it, before walking back up the path that had taken him down here.
That would not be Hector's last trip down to the Ciudad Olvidado. He would go down and talk with the other people who were slowly being forgotten. He became part of the family, and most of them seemed to enjoy his company.
From that first day though, Hector promised that he would make sure that none of his new family were alone when they faded away. He sat by each and everyone of his tíos and primos as they faded away, keeping them comfortable in their last moments. He sang to many of them, or at the very least talked to them before they left. Hector knew that one day, he would follow them.
It was just a few days before his ninety sixth Dia de los Muertos that Hector started noticing his body feeling weaker. Ninety six years of not being on the ofrenda, ninety six years of slowly fading from the minds of his familia. He sat on the roof of his bungalow, after everyone had turned in for the night. Staring up into the starry sky, he found himself remembering the days when he was a live. He remembered his amor, and his mija hermosa.
"Coco, please my darling Coco. Don't forget about me. I just want to see you again. Just one more time," he whispered to each of the stars, hoping that they would hear his pleas, and tell Coco that her Papá loved her very much.
"Remember me..."
Chicha - Mexican Alcoholic beverage
amigos - friends
Por todo el mundo - for everyone
esposa hermosa - beautiful wife
mija - daughter
maravillosa - wonderful
familia - family
ciudad olvidado - forgotten city
lo siento - I'm sorry
niño - boy
Pobrecito bebé - poor baby
fiestas - parties
Señora - lady
Qué pasa - What's wrong
gracias - thank you
amor - love