Being a young woman is an interesting thing. You do not "go" places on your own; you are taken there, usually by an older man or woman. I suppose it's because we're seen as frail and fragile creatures, in need of constant protection. You'd think that was the case considering how attentive Héctor was being and how frantic the security guard was after my absence was realized. We made our way through the crowds, with Héctor pointing stuff to me along the way with eagerness. I still couldn't get over having a dead guy as my tour guide through the department building.
"And that over there is the Department of Family Crisis!" "Ah!" I would be more interested in what he was saying if I wasn't so preoccupied with finding my family again. Er, my uncle and Alberto, I mean. I've gotta stop doing that!
Héctor peered back at me from over his shoulder, smiling kindly. "So, what part of Mexico do you come from?" "I'm not from… Mexico. I'm from Encanto." "Encanto? Never heard of that place before." "You wouldn't have. It's a hidden village in the Columbian mountain range," I elucidated. His feet came to a pause here as he twisted back around to face me. His expression was one of shock. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hang on a minute. You're not Mexican? You're from Columbia?" "Yes? Why? Is everyone here from Mexico?" Wherever that is. "Of course! All of our families are still there. Uh, in the land of the living," he clarified. "Huh. Then there's no one I'm related to here, then….." I pondered out loud.
Héctor stopped again, grabbing my arm which made me come to a stop as well. I blinked back to him in surprise. Now he seemed more worried than excited. Despite having only bones for hands, his grip was surprisingly strong. "You don't have any family here? How are you going to return back home then?! There's no one here to give you their blessing!" "Huh? Oh! Oh, that…. I uh… I'm going to um…. It's kinda hard to explain," I hesitated, drooping my eyes downward. The dead man still kept his grip firm on my arm, giving it a tiny squeeze. "You can't stay down here, Mirabel. Humans can only be in the Land of the Dead a little while before they well, die. You need to return before sunrise!" "I… didn't know that…." "You have to! You're very life depends on it!" Héctor now grabbed hold of both my forearms, giving me a nervous shake. My head bobbed a little, making me wince.
"It's ok, Héctor! I'll be ok! At least, I think I will… I haven't tried it yet," I cried. "Tried what?" He stopped shaking me. That made me pause, looking him straight in the eye. The reality that he was dead- that I was speaking to a deceased human- hit me like a ton of bricks. His body was withered and his bones this pale tan colour. I didn't know anything about the underworld, or rather this particular underworld, but it was obvious that the sun and blue skies weren't a thing down here. I didn't know when was the last time this guy saw the world or anything that wasn't doom and gloom. "How long have you been dead, Héctor?" "Huh?" Was his only reply.
I thought as much.
Suddenly grinning at Héctor, I took his bony hand off my arm. Holding it securely in my hand, I began to guide him away from the crowd off to the side somewhere more remote. "Where are we going?! We don't have time for this, Mirabel! We need to get you to the head office so they can save your life." "It'll be alright. Instead of explaining everything, I thought it might be easier to show you." "Show me what?"
We found a hidden door, which I assumed to be a janitor's closet. With a quick check from side to side, I let go of the man's hand and approached the door. One twist of the doorknob washed away all concern I previously had. The door opened into the patio in the front of our house. You could see the village and mountains encompassing it from here. With a smile at Héctor and making extra-sure to keep the door open, I beckoned him forward.
The skeleton man was hesitant at first, but I took his hand again in mine. With my free hand I guided him outside into the sunlight. Thankfully there was no one working in the front yard so Héctor could stand out in the open without causing mass panic. He took his first step into the light; the wind rustled by, sending a few of Isabela's pink and red flower petals flying up all around him. Héctor's jaw was perpetually open in a state of awe. His eyes shifted gradually from one thing to another, but they stopped on the mountains. He saw the mountains and slowly began smiling to himself. "Green…. So green. I'd forgotten how green and alive the mountains are." A pregnant pause ensued here; one I'd dare not break. I felt like Héctor had more to say. "I haven't seen nature like this in a hundred and nineteen years….. I never thought I'd see that colour of green again."
Watching him, I couldn't help but smile. Ok, so now that I know we can return to Encanto this way, I felt so much better. This whole journey would be worth it…. If Héctor could enjoy this last taste of the outside. After a very long moment, he blinked back to me, still with a stunned expression. "Where is this….?" He probably wanted to ask more but started off with this. My grin merely grew in the corners, my arms folded casually across my torso. "Home," was my single-word answer.
Héctor looked from me back to outside, then straight back at me with alarm. "Home? You're home? Why, you're back! You're back, Mirabel! You've found a way back! Wait… How'd you do that?" His finger suddenly pointed accusing at me. My shoulder shrugged. "It's a gift I recently acquired. Everyone in my family has a magical power. Mine is opening doors to random places; well, doors going out, I should say." "But we're back in… in…. Where is this?" His head spun back around to gaze outside. "Encanto. We're in Columbia," I explained. He made that "pfffft" sound through his teeth. "Get real. You can't magically open up a door to a different location like that. I may just be a musician, but even I know science doesn't work that way." I said nothing, simply giving him a deadpan stare and motioning to the village with my head. He took another look, his face gradually enlightening. "Oh… Oh, yeah. Yeah, I see your point there." Another moment passed; the breeze flowing through a few stray strands of his hair. Eventually he grinned to himself in sheer pleasure. "Keep the door open! I want the rest of my family to see this!"
It was now that the reality of the situation set in again- this time for Héctor- who was now urging me back inside. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go in! Go inside!" He tried to make me cross the threshold, which I resisted. Instead I flung us both backwards, slamming the door behind me. "What'd you do that for?!" A panicked Héctor ran back to the door, opening it to find not Encanto but a regular old broom closet. Terror washed over his face as he stared inside bewildered. "What happened?! Where'd it go?!" "The link between our world and mine is severed whenever the door closes," I responded, brushing my dress off. He gave me a horrified look. "But that means that you're still stuck in the Land of the Dead! You can't stay here, Mirabel! You'll die if you do!" "I won't! I can open the door anytime I want here. I just have to go get my family first," my thumb stuck in the direction of the main foyer of the building. "Your family?" He blinked at me. I nodded. "I can't leave without them. They're alive too and I don't know when I'll return if I cross the threshold. I have no control over where the door opens back home," not really on this side either; I can only open the door to Encanto and that's it. Still, it's better that way cause we can always return that way. Héctor watched me for a moment before blinking in understanding. "So….. that's how you got here? You opened the door back in your village and wound up in the Land of the Dead?" "That's exactly right." He thought for another moment before taking my hand again. "Then let's go find your family!" I was being tugged out of the hall and toward the right department again.
Things started to look familiar when we eventually reached the Department of Family Reunions. A crowd was gathering around what appeared to be an argument. I inwardly- and outwardly I'm sure- cringed when I saw the short office man reprimanding the security guard who had previously lost me. Héctor spotted Bruno and Alberto before me and vice versa. He pointed their way, in a happy fashion again. "Oh, look! There's your father and husband! They're looking for you." There were so many things wrong with that statement. I understand why everyone thinks my Tio Bruno is my dad; we look very alike, after all. But why on earth would he think that Alberto is my husband?
My heart froze for the quickest instance. This chill ran over my body, sending a powerful shiver crawling up my spine. "Time stands still here now, whenever we're apart." My husband….. But no…. No! That's impossible! He's just some guy who likes teasing and annoying me. I mean, we banter too much to be a couple, don't we? My eyes drifted over to Alberto. For his part, he did look frightened by my disappearance. My lips parted a sliver. It can't be. It's impossible, isn't it? "Beautiful, simply beautiful…. It's incredible. You've grown more beautiful each day that I've known you."
Isn't it?
That poor security guard was being rung through the ringer by the short skeleton, who kept waggling his finger in his face. "What do you mean you lost her?! I specifically told you NOT to leave her side! It was a simple instruction! How could you be so stupid?!" "I-I'm sorry, Señor! I went to help a colleague and when I came back, she was gone! I told her to stay put!" "And you expected her to listen to you?! She's a young girl- a child!" "Hey! That's my niece you're talking about," Bruno interjected on my behalf, looking visibly upset. "Well, you did a good job raising her! She can't even follow basic rules!" The office man fired back at my uncle viciously. "We've got to find her before she gets herself killed!" Another security guard remarked anxiously.
"Hey! Hey, over here!" I wanted to die a thousand deaths when Héctor released my hand, waving both arms in the air to grab everyone's attention. Before you knew it, all eyes were rapidly on us, which was the most uncomfortable thing in the world. "Mirabel!" Both Bruno and Alberto gasped. "You're alright!" My uncle ran over to embrace me. "I was only gone for ten minutes, Tio," I patted his back, knowing this would be little comfort. The others present didn't look so thrilled with the scenario, particularly Alberto and the office man, who wasted no time tearing me a new one.
"Where were you?! Did you not hear me tell you to stay with Marco, Señora Scorfano?!" My eyes couldn't have rolled harder. "I already told you: that's not my name." "And I told you, your file says otherwise!" "Ah, don't be so harsh on her. She's back in one piece, isn't she?" Héctor waved the office skeleton off, coming up to my side. "There you are, Héctor! We were looking for you," a skeleton lady in a purple dress and brown apron scolded my new friend from the side where she was with a bunch of other skeletons. They were all wearing the same aprons, so I guessed they were in the same family. He flashed the lady skeleton a grin. "Sorry, Imelda. Mirabel was just lost and I helped her find her way back." "She wouldn't have gotten lost if she followed my instructions. How do you expect to get home before sunrise now?!" Short skeleton's arms flung up above him in a frustrated manner. "Oh, that's no problem! Mirabel can just…" But Héctor was cut off by my hand resting on his shoulder. He peered at me and I quietly shook my head, which he appeared to understand immediately. I don't think he understood why I wanted him to stay quiet about it, but he did so for my sake. Everyone else, meanwhile, had no idea what to make of it all, glancing to one another unsure and questioning.
That's when I saw Alberto. He was looking at me and he was not smiling. I took a step towards him. "Sorry 'bout that. I didn't mean to be gone so long." "That's the last time I let you out of my sight," he crossed his arms, fuming at me. I also frowned, mildly insulted by this. Yeah right; I've got nothing to worry about. We're definitely not getting married in the future. No matter how attractive he is or gets…..
"The main thing is that she's back and we can go home now," Bruno came over, draping an arm over each of our shoulders. "Yeah, we should probably do that soon. We'll die if we stick around here for too long, or so I've been told." "Yeah. That angry little man said the same thing to us," Alberto noted toward the short skeleton. "Hey!" Course he took offense to this. We collectively rolled our eyes. Then I took Bruno's hand in mine, giving him a look which I knew he'd understand. "I've found somewhere we can go back," I whispered over to him. "Alright; let's go there," he replied without hesitation. I flinched as Alberto took hold of my other hand, making me blink over at him. He still didn't look happy with me, but he held onto my hand tight.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was afraid to lose me again.
God…. I hate to admit it, but the very thought made me a tiny bit happy inside. Just a tiny bit! That's all. Still, partly just for show, I made a point to frown…. Though I didn't try to tug my hand back away from him. "Do you have to do that?" I spat. "Want me to hang onto your dress instead?" He couldn't help but grin at his own quip, making me roll my eyes. He thinks he's soooooooooo funny. He then gave my hand a squeeze, unintentionally making my heart skip a beat. "Just let me hold your hand. I don't wanna lose you- again." "You're not gonna let that go, are you?" "Hey, look at it this way. It gives me something to tease you about later," he smirked, and I rolled my eyes again. This guy…..
"Come on, Mirabel. We should get back," my uncle gave my arm a pull. I looked at him and nodded obediently. "Ok, let's go." We were about to walk off until Héctor grabbed hold of my forearm. I paused so to glance back at him curious and confused. "Wait, Mirabel! What about the…..?" He didn't finish his question, and he didn't have to. I knew what he was talking about.
Still holding onto Bruno's hand in one hand and Alberto's in the other, I spun my torso in such a way that I could meet his stare head on. I smiled so gently and tenderly at my new, deceased friend; him and his lovely family. "It was nice meeting you, Héctor. Thanks for your help." "It should be me thanking you. I saw…. I saw something that I thought was long behind me," he said while his gaze drifted off a bit. My grin widened as my head tilted a little to the side.
"I'm really glad to hear that. Really glad….." "Glad about what?" My uncle asked me, but I merely shook my head, shutting my eyes for a moment. Then I peered back to Héctor again, lowering my gaze onto him. "I'll be sure to come say hello…. if we ever return here." "Please do! And next time, keep the door open long enough that my family can see…. Can see what I've seen….. What you've shown me." I nodded my head very softly, giving him one last kind smile.
"Next time I'll make sure you get even more sunshine in this afterlife."