Imelda and Coco were out shopping in the Land of the Dead's outdoor market.
Coco gazed fondly at the cart full of oranges. She told her mama,"You know, Miguel used to share his oranges with me. It was to help me regain my memories."
Imelda smiled.
The matriarch of the Rivera family was about to say something to her daughter when all of a sudden, she could hear a tall and thin woman in a very damp, white dress terrorizing a poor merchant. "What do you mean you ran out of the white shoes?"
The merchant hid behind the shoe display and said nervously,"I'm sorry Maria... we'll have more tomorrow..."
Maria shook her head angrily before pounding her fist on the cart. "You said that yesterday!"
Imelda found herself feeling dumbfounded. That's exactly how she used to act.
Coco said worriedly,"Mama, we've got to help that poor man."
Imelda nodded at her daughter. She put her hands on her hips and said,"Excuse me, but your behavior is unacceptable."
Maria swiftly turned her head to glare at Imelda.
Imelda was severely taken aback by the sight of this woman. Her face was stained with tears and her hair was quite frizzy.
Was this... La Llorona...? Imelda thought to herself in complete shock.
Maria's unfriendly, icy blue eyes soon softened a bit at the sight of Imelda's boots. She said," "Those are some pretty sturdy shoes you have there."
Imelda glanced down. She then looked at Maria in confusion but mostly with caution.
Maria said as she gave the merchant a death glare,"Just the right kind of shoe to hurt this devil of a man!"
Imelda 's jaw dropped in disbelief. Just as Imelda suspected, La Llorona was utterly bitter. Just like she once was...
Coco said nervously. "Mama, let's get something to eat..."
The merchant suddenly shouted as he tossed a pair of white flats to Imelda. "Catch!"
Imelda found herself catching the shoes. Both Imelda and Maria gasped at the same time. Coco glared at the merchant who shouted,"Final sale! No returns!"
At this time, the skeletons nearby stopped what they were doing to stare at Imelda and Maria.
Maria asked the crowd angrily,"What are you looking at?"
The skeletons murmured nervously as they continued doing what they were doing.
Maria soon turned her attention to Imelda and hissed,"Give them to me!"
A frightened Coco hid behind Imelda who bravely took a step forward and said angrily,"No! I know you drowned your children La Llorona!"
La Llorona lifted her head up in a state of shock. She soon laughed to herself before slowly pointing a shriveled up finger at Imelda. "You have two days to hand those shoes over to me..."
Maria shrieked before disappearing in a puff of white smoke,"Fail and I will put a curse upon your whole family!"
The crowd hid behind the carts in fright.
Imelda and Coco looked at each other worriedly.
Hector was happily cooking a hearty stew when the front door swung open. He grinned. "So how was the market?"
Imelda exclaimed angrily as she made her way towards the living room sofa,"Perfect! Just perfect!"
Hector asked in confusion,"Huh?"
He went on over to his wife and daughter with a look of concern.
Imelda sighed. "I never thought I'd be cursed with a pair of shoes..."
Hector was still confused. Coco said sadly as she revealed the white flats to her papa. "These."
Hector scratched the side of his skull in a puzzling way. He grinned rather awkwardly. "They seem harmless."
Imelda's temper began to rise slightly. She exclaimed as she got up on her feet,"La Llorona is after these shoes and if I don't think of something fast, we'll be cursed... again!"
...
Suddenly, Coco broke the awkward silence by saying to her mama,"Maybe... you should put them on."
Imelda gave her daughter a look of shock.
Coco continued,"I mean they must be magical or else La Llorona wouldn't want them. So maybe you could learn how to use the shoes to help her move on."
Hector said softly,"It's worth a try Imelda."
Imelda sighed once more. She looked at the white shoes with uncertainty.
She soon took off her boots to put on the flats. Imelda lifted her purple dress slightly to get a good look of the white flats on her feet.
Suddenly, the rest of the deceased Rivera family members appeared.
Oscar and Felipe gasped to see their older sister wearing a different pair of shoes.
Rosita said to Imelda happily,"They look great on you!"
Victoria frowned at Imelda. "Should we be concerned?"
Hector and Coco chuckled nervously before Imelda said quickly,"Yes, everything couldn't be more perfect. If you will all excuse me..."
To everyone's surprise, Imelda headed up the stairs. As she did, she wiped tears from her eyes.
But, before she could reach the top of the stairs, she froze and choked down a few sobs.
Hector felt a combination of shock and worry. He's never seen Imelda so devastated.
He knew exactly why. His wife had just encountered the most feared spirit in Mexican history.
"Imelda..."
The only response Hector got was the sound of a door slamming shut.
Hector sighed sadly.
All of a sudden, someone knocked on the front door. It was Miguel. He seemed pretty excited about something. "You guys while I was on my way here, I bumped into Frida! She wants us to join her for lunch!"
Victoria bit her lip. "Sorry mijo but we're in the middle of a crisis right now."
Miguel instantly became confused. "Wait... Where's Mama Imelda?"
Imelda was seated in front of her vanity, brushing her hair when Miguel asked softly,"Mama Imelda?"
Imelda stood up and said,"Miguel you shouldn't be here..."
"But..."
At that moment, Miguel noticed the pair of white shoes on Imelda's feet. "I don't think you can whack a bad guy with those..."
Imelda sighed sadly. "I have to wear them mijo... it's the only way to get rid of La Llorona."
Miguel was beyond stunned. "I thought La Llorona was just a made-up ghost that stern mothers used to make their children behave."
Imelda sat back on her chair in defeat. "I'm afraid she's all too real Miguel."
Miguel tried to think of a plan.
Thankfully, he thought of one. They had to get to Frida Kahlo...
