The Worse Happen

If the Encanto hadn't already suffered enough from the loss of the miracle and everyone who had left it behind, things had just turned for the worst. As if fate wanted to curse it. The once green rich hills had become dry mounds of lifeless fauna. The crops were dead, devoid of nutrition. All green life had burnt to a crisp. The rivers within and beyond the valley and mountains were now wide cracks running along the crusty soil. Dried palm leaves were used as fans to cool the sweaty villages. But the torturous sun made many fall and faint.

In the Casita, the Madrigals sat in chairs dipping their bare feet into whatever water they could spare to cool their red bodies. Isabella and Pepa had tied their long hair up into a giant bun like Luisa and Julieta. The men and boys were white tank tops but still smelt like polecats. Alma had managed to find a dress with very short sleeves but she couldn't make herself feel any less hot than she was.

"I - can't - take ..." Antonio panted in each pause. "...take - much - more..." he coughed. "Than this,"

"How long can we stand this heat?!" Pepa grunted out heatedly. She wished she had her powers so she could make it rain everywhere to cool everyone down and make the plants flourish.

"How much water do we have left Luisa?" asked Julieta desperately.

Luisa sighed hopelessly. "Not much," she coughed out. "Not enough to survive for how long this drought might last,"

The Madrigals' fears brewed stronger.

"We must leave," Alma announced.

"What?" breathed a disagreeable Julieta. "We will not leave our home,"

"If we stay here any longer, we will die,"

Agustin sighed. "She's right love. We should gather whatever we can and leave to find better land. Food and water," Despite his hatred towards his mother-in-law, he knew that her words were truthful and required heeding,"

"What if there are dangers beyond our borders?" Pepa freaked out like a fish out of water. "Like Marauders,"

"What choice do we have? It's either we act now or die here. We don't have a choice," Agustin had no fear o the outsider world. Only staying and watching his loved ones especially his wife and their two first daughters die in his arms. They were his world. Losing Mirabel was bad enough. If he lost anymore, he could no purpose to go on living at all. Slowly one by one, the family nodded. There was no other choice.

Dolores was the first stand-up. "I'll notify everyone," she slipped her wet feet into her shoes and immediately went off into town. She saw hardly anyone in the streets. They had taken refuge inside from the scorching sun. "People!" she called out. Neither a window nor a door open. She had to scream out louder. "People! Everyone open your doors and windows! I have an announcement to make!"

Doors and windows were pushed slowly open. People poked their heads out staring tiredly at her.

"I know you guys don't feel like listening to any of us! But Alma has decided that we must leave our home! We must find food and water before it's too late!"

"We will not leave our home!" protested a mother.

"Either we stay here or we die!" Dolores argued.

"But what if there are soldiers out there?!" cried a child.

Dolores tried to speak up but she was battled by protests and shouts. Just then Mariano (the man she never stopped having a crush on) stepped out onto the dusty streets and stood in front of her, shielding her from their angry, red faces. "Silence!"

The mob silenced. They obeyed the most handsome man in town and bit their tongues. "Dolores is right!" he announced supportingly. "We are low on water and already our animals and loved ones are starving. If we stay here, we are killing our children! One day we will return to the Encanto! But for now, her need is to leave so that we can live!"

Hearing his words up close instead of afar made Dolores feel...admired. He was speaking up for her, defending her. Would he finally notice her? Or was this just because he knew she was right and that he was thinking of the villagers' wellbeing and not her long-lingering affections?

The villagers nodded and they instantly pulled their heads back inside their houses but didn't close any doors. Some men left through the door to fetch carts and pots. She heard audible crates being moved around, being prepared to be loaded with whatever necessities the families needed for their journey. She watched rational water being carefully supplied for the donkeys. She still noticed Mariano was still standing with her, looking at all the citizens he had persuaded to heed their needs. "Thank you," she said to him.

He didn't look at her. "I know you were only looking out for the people. And so was I,"

Dolores sighed. "I know what you and everyone think of us. Our family has never been the same since,"

"Why did your grandmother have to pretend everything was all right when clearly it wasn't? And why did you have to blurt out Mirabel and Juano's secret?" Mariano would not look at her as he asked those questions. "Did you really do it because you cared about the family? Or did you do it to break me and Isabella up?"

Dolores sighed. "Yes, And no," she wanted to sound like she had both interests at heart but Mariano wasn't impressed at all. She inhaled a deep breath and let go. "I have always liked you for a long time. But I never wanted to get between you and Isabella. I loved her too much to try and get in the way of Abuela's expectations of her. There. I said," she turned her back and advanced back up the pathway to her home. Mariano twisted his head watching her reaching Casita's doors. His heartbeat thumped a little.

Dolores sniffled as she stumbled through the front door with tears falling down her tanned face. Her parents who awaited her pulled her into her arms to comfort her, ignoring the intense heat of their bodies. "They have already started packing," she notified.

"And so will we," said Pepa.

The Madrigals packed their necessities. Julieta's herbs and medical supplies, Pedro's photo, clothes, fastened pots of extra water, Luisa's knife in case of danger and Antonio: his jaguar toy as it was the only thing that would help him sleep every night. As they gathered their bags, they paced slowly around their house, observing every unique detail. Alma sat alone near the front door, gathering her strength for the great journey ahead. She pulled out her pocket watch picture of Pedro. A tear fell onto its frame. "Oh, Pedro. Please protect our family. Guide us on this journey we take,"

The family gathered again and then one by one left through the creaky wooden doors and Alma with a heavy heart shut them closed. They walked quietly with little emotion through the village, now empty like a ghost town. The villages' people awaited them with supplies tied to several donkeys and horses.

Taking under the leadership, Julieta announced, "I know this is so awful everyone. But we will return to this village very soon," Nothing else was said after that. The villagers led their steeds towards the massive crack between the mountains and walked through, passing through the dried grasslands to reach the dried-up river, where they had received their miracle. Many years ago.

Alma felt her heart fall approaching its bank. She closed her eyes and a tear fell. This was where she watched her beloved husband die in front of her, as she held their babies in her arms and a golden candle imbued with magic granted to them by his sacrifice. She had never been able to come back to that river; it was taking a heavy toll on her.

The family crossed the dried-up river leading the villagers through the forest. Much of the fauna was wilted and the grass was brown and spiky. They walked for many miles north until they stopped in a sheltered grove to sit down and drink whatever water they could afford to use. Alma sat on a rock, isolated from the others. She prayed to Pedro, wondering if this journey which they were taking would lead them to those who had left them behind. She wondered if perhaps she had a chance to finally heed Pedro's words and make it right with everyone she loved.

Her peace was held up by the shuffle of bushes and twigs from within the forest. She raised her head and a resounding of footsteps approached her. She saw a powerful man approach the grove with a fully-grown eldest son and teenage daughter.

"Carlos," seethed Alma. He had grown a short black beard over the years and his hair was a bit longer. Alejandra hadn't changed much over the years but Mariana's hair was now in a bun with strands dangling against her cheeks.

"Mama!" Julieta came rushing over, fearing she was in trouble but when she laid her eyes on the man who had treated his son so poorly, she glared coldly at her. Agustin came to her side and glared out at him.

"What are you doing here Carlos?" he demanded.

"After you kicked us out of your village, we found a new home with all these refugees. And now we're stuck here on our own out here during a terrible drought and look what we have here," Carlos was equally displeased to see them.

All the Madrigals were really tense.

"Sorry to say this but this is our grove," Agustin said. "Go find another one,"

"Oh sure, kick us out along with all these people," Carlos gestured to all the sweaty and tired refugees behind him and his children. Julieta sympathised seeming so dreary and thirsty. She closed her eyes.

"You and your people can rest here with us," she accepted reluctantly. "But keep your distance from us,"

Carlos's eyebrows furrowed but Agustin's glare back at him made him stand down. He and the children helped everyone settle down but true to Julieta's warning, they sat a good distance away from them. Isabella and Luisa were so discomfortable with Mariana constantly glaring at them for no reason. Dolores was more nervous and Antonio shivered a lot.

Both groups of travellers noticed the feud between the two families but said nothing. They knew better. It became nightfall. With the temperature cooler and their legs well rested, they decided they would be on their way again at least for a few more hours until they needed to sleep. The families once again kept their distance but Alma who was too old to walk another couple of kilometres sat in a cart, eying Carlos very warily. She feared him. She feared his hatred for her family.

(Six years ago)

"We want you out of this village!" Julieta commanded Carlos.

He turned red like the sun. "What?!" he exploded. "Why?"

"This village cannot allow a cruel man like you to live amongst us. Especially after how you treated your son!"

Carlos seethed. He turned to Alma. "You gonna have no part in this?!"Alma wouldn't answer. "Didn't think so. You're just so broken because you lost a simple candle,"

"That candle was our miracle!" Isabella stood up. "Our family miracle. Oh, why am I saying this? You despise magic. Anything that doesn't meet your expectations. Even your own son,"

"You are all gonna regret kicking me and my children out of this town. Not all magic is good. Magic makes people arrogant. Just like that candle made you so full of yourself Alma," he pointed a stone finger at Alma. "No wonder you constantly pushed Mirabel away. In the end, you're surprised your family and your home is in chaos and I hope it remains that way,"

As his words, his surprised children twisted their heads and their anger turned to shock. They knew their father despised Juano's magic but they never thought his hatred for magic was so foul that he would speak that way.

(Present Day)

Antonio was scared so his siblings held his hand protectively. "I hate that they're here,"

"Don't worry hermano," Camillo soothed. "We're right here,"

Dolores eyed the Sanchez family again. Carlos glared over at her but Mariano's body swerved in front of her, blocking the man's cold view from her. "Don't you have other things to do?"

Carlos turned his attention back.

"Thank you," said Dolores.

"It's not right that he's giving you all this treatment," he said. "Everyone's glad you guys banished him from the village. But now we're stuck with him at least until we can go home," The night journey was long and they made camp again. To their surprise, more people who had been travelling from their towns since the drought had struck joined them. They invited them all to join their exodus.

The girls sat around a campfire with an elderly man and his grandchildren.

"Here," Luisa gave the children some spare water. "Have some water,"

"Thank you," the man praised. "We were just about to run out when we ran into you girls and your giant party,"

"This drought has been so awful," the eldest girl melancholily moaned.

"It forced us out of our home," said Isabella sorrowfully.

"Us too," the only boy answered. "We were trying to make it as far as we could to try and find it,"

"Find what?" Dolores asked curiously.

"There have been rumours of a city, the biggest city in Columbia," said the grandfather. "We are hoping that it's somehow avoided the drought and that its founders will allow us to stay there,"

"Do you think we could go there?" she eagerly asked her cousins.

"Oh they will," said the youngest granddaughter. "It's called Milagro del Amor. It means the city of love. It's been rumoured that it was founded by a miracle of love," Her words intrigued the sisters. And Carlos, who like a ninja spied on them from behind the bushes.

"Any chance you might know who leads that city?" Luisa had an instinctive feeling she knew who it was.

The grandfather was surprised at the question. "I'm afraid not. But I am certain for sure it is the lovers who lead it," The girls blinked. "Can I ask who your grandmother is over there?" he pointed to Alma sitting by herself. "And why is she sitting apart from everyone?"

"Things are just complicated in our family," said Isabella. "Something...terrible happened six years ago. And our grandmother hasn't been the same ever since. Things were already terrible for her,"

"She's been this way for years. Ever since our mothers were infants and our grandfather Pedro died," Dolores lamented.

"I'm so sorry," the grandfather apologised. "What happened to him?"

"They and their village were chased by marauders. And he gave his life so that they could escape," Luisa lamented sadly. Her words in seconds made the old man's face shrivel up.

"I'm so sorry for his loss. I...can't imagine what it must have been like. Losing someone like that really...takes a toll on you," the man's gaze turned again to Alma. Dolores eyed him strangely. Why was he acting this way? He looked...guilty.

"Why don't you guys and your people come with us?" the girl offered. "Everyone here could go to that city altogether and they would gladly give us sanctuary,"

"We must!" Isabella stood up in an instant and shot off to find her mother. Alma, alert at her outbreak watched her scurry past campfires to find her eldest daughter. She stood up slowly and stumbled through the crowds with her cane.

Carlos walked to his private campsite. He reached into his bag and pulled out a dark book and went through its pages, till he found a particular one.

"Papa?"

He instantly shut the book and looked up to see his son's surprised face. "Alejandro?"

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," he answered. "Why are you here?"

"Some people spoke out a city formed by a miracle of love. Do you think...?"

"Whatever's there, it's evil. We have to keep our activities secret," he stood up and glanced with strong eyes into his son's slightly fretted face. "Do you understand?"

With lips closed tightly, Alejandro nodded quickly.

"That's my good man," Carlos patted his shoulder and walked away but Alejandro stared out at his retreating figure in secret. For the first time in six years, he felt a great weight of uncertainty pushing down on his shoulders.

Julieta with the assistance of her husband and Pepa handed out canteens of water and rational food to their people and the other parties. They came to the Lopez family. They eyed Isabella's former best friends Natalia and Sofia a little remorsefully. Ever since Mirabel left and the sisters complained about her, Isabella ended her friendship with them, having come to realise how wrong she was to allow them to bully Mirabel and that they only liked her because of her powers and not for who she really was. Since Isandra disappeared with her best friend, they felt so broken. They hadn't realised how much her leaving them would torture them with heartbreak. But with that heartbreak was anger. They felt betrayed and their hatred for Mirabel worsened, believing it was she who Isandra loved more than them.

Agustin offered a canteen of water to Mrs Lopez but her husband swiped it from his hand. "Thanks," he spat sinisterly.

Julieta disliked his treatment. "Look Mr Lopez, I know this is hard for you..."

"What luck have we got being out here? We've encountered more people than we can share our supplies with and we have no idea where we're gonna go,"

"Just shut up Luis!" snapped Agustin. "Stop treating us this way! And don't you dare hold us responsible for what happened to Isandra. She chose to leave because you tried to destroy her friendship with our daughter,"

"Your daughter and that freak stole her from us,"

Julieta's tears spilt. Before Agustin could punch him, Pepa grabbed his fists and shook her head. Then she turned and glared into Luis's face for flying off the handle so icily at her sister. "You have no right to talk about this way. They didn't steal your daughter. They gave her a choice and she chose to be with them. If you ever insult my niece or that good man ever again, you will find yourself cast out from everyone else," she led her tear-stricken sister away. Agustin didn't attack Luis but he glared coldly at him. Luis's wife Victoria said nothing but the twin sisters frowned back at Agustin.

The three had almost finished sharing their rations when they heard Isabella's frantic force and turned to see her approaching them, tears spilling down her face.

"Mama! Papa Tia Pepa!" she panted.

"Woah," Agustin caught her in his arms. "Easy there,"

Julieta stared confusedly at her. "Isabella, what is it?"

Isabella took a moment to calm herself down. "I think..." she panted and straightened herself up. "I think I know where Mirabel is," Her words turned her mother, father and aunt pale.

Peeping behind a tree, Alma overhead the exchange between her eldest daughter and grandchild. She was shocked. Does this mean they would find Mirabel? Along with her boyfriend, best friend and the rest of their family? For the first time in years, the eighty-one-year-old woman felt more hope than she had ever felt in years.

That's another chapter done. Sorry for taking so long. I was facing writer's block with this story and it hasn't been easy with the death of our dearly beloved Queen Elizabeth. May she rest in peace forever. I hope you all enjoyed it. See you all soon.