Chapter 3: Visions
Mirabel snuck upstairs, avoiding her family members carefully as she made her way to Bruno's door. Taking a deep breath, she turned the doorknob and slid inside. She had barely closed the door when a voice behind her almost made her scream.
"I don't think you will find what you are looking for in here," the voice whispered.
Mirabel spun, and then relaxed. It was just Dolores. "What are you doing in here?" She hissed.
"I heard you asking everyone about Bruno, and that Luisa told you to check here. But he isn't in here."
"What do you mean he isn't in here? Of course he isn't, he left years ago." It clicked, "unless he didn't. And you know where he is because you can hear him."
"Yes." Dolores looked like she had set aside a great burden with the simple admission. "I don't know what use it will be to talk to him though. He, well, he is a bit deranged."
"What do you mean? Is he alright?"
"I visit him from time to time. He is constantly mumbling though. Mirabel, he's.. Well, perhaps it is best if you just come see him."
"Please. If he has the answers, I have to know."
"Tonight then. But Mirabel, Abuela cannot know that I brought you to him. She would never forgive me."
Mirabel looked at Dolores questioningly, but Dolores didn't offer any further explanation. "Alright, I pinky swear."
"I will come get you when I have heard everyone fall asleep," Dolores said, her tone resolute and even.
Mirabel nodded, and after a moment passed, she left to wait the remainder of the day pacing in barely restrained excitement in her room.
Dinner passed agonizingly slowly. Luisa and Pepa both refused to even make eye contact with her. Antonio continued to show off his new gift, though he struggled every once in awhile to understand what the animals were telling him. At least the food her mother made was delicious, and she tried to focus completely on that while Abuela exclaimed in joy over Antonio's every new trick and continued to postulate on what the fantastic new applications could be to help strengthen the family and community. "How wonderful it is to have such a Gifted and wonderful grandchild. Such a blessing in our lives."
Mirabel excused herself as early as she could without seeming rude.
At long last, she had survived dinner, everyone had gone to bed, and she heard a quiet knock at her door.
"Are you sure about this Mirabel? You know what they say about those who hear Bruno's prophecies."
"I have seen the walls of Casita cracking. If I don't find out, and something bad happens that I could've prevented, I will never forgive myself. And.." she stopped, but Dolores finished the sentence for her.
"You want to know why you didn't receive a Gift."
Mirabel didn't trust herself to speak, and just nodded.
"Then follow me. And remember, not a word to Abuela."
Mirabel followed Dolores as she led her down stairs, across the courtyard, and to a painting in the corner of the house. Mirabel questioning look became one of wonder as Dolores pressed on the painting causing it to open with a click.
A dark passage yawned open before them, the stairs sinking deeper into the earth below were steep and roughly hewn. Dolores grabbed a lamp from the table and continued to lead her down.
"What is this place?" Mirabel whispered.
"The family secret."
Mirabel was silent for a moment and then gasped in horror. The cracks! They were everywhere down here. Spidering out. Some small, but all growing larger. The house groaned and shifted, and new cracks appeared, spreading from under Mirabel's feet to join the ones scarring the walls.
"Don't touch them if you can help it. Quickly, I don't want to get caught down here."
They descended quickly before arriving in a cramped room at the bottom. Dolores hung the lamp from the ceiling, and light filled the area. Mirabel recoiled in horror. There, behind bars, lay a man. He stirred, warily rising to blink in the light.
"Dolores, is that you?"
"Yes. I brought someone with me."
The man turned. Confusion turned to recognition, "so it is time. You have finally come."
A hiss fell silent, and without turning the man reached back and flipped an hourglass onto its otherside. He continued, "how have you been, Mirabel?"
"Tio Bruno? What are you doing down here? Why are you?" She rushed to the cage, "we can get you out."
Bruno cut her off, "I am fine. I foresaw this happening." He sighed, and sat back down, inviting them to sit as well.
"What happened?"
Bruno shrugged, "I got in the way. I was no longer useful. What do you want me to say?"
"Everything. Bruno, Pepa said you might know why I didn't get a gift. But we also all thought you left after you argued with Abuela." Mirabel couldn't keep her thoughts straight, everything was so quickly becoming muddled.
"You think Abuela would just let me leave? A Madrigal going rogue?"
"Abuela is keeping you here! She couldn't! She wouldn't!"
Bruno's voice turned sour and mocking, "she wouldn't? Your Abuela would do anything it took to keep this family strong. I was an obstacle. So I was removed."
"Turned her down?"
"She wanted to know why you didn't receive your Gift. Whether you were a threat to the family. I had a vision of the future, to see if you would harm us. And then I refused to answer."
"Why?" Mirabel forced herself to breathe.
The sand ran out and Bruno turned it again, his other hand unconsciously rapping a beat on the wooden frame of his bed, "because I saw how you would destroy the family. And I knew, that if I told her then, she would send you away before you had the chance."
Dolores looked horrified. Mirabel gut twisted, "you lie! I would never hurt my family. They mean everything to me."
"But you must! We cannot live in these shackles anymore. You think I am the only one Abuela is keeping in a cage just because my bars are tangible? Just look at Dolores."
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? Are you not paying attention? We have been talking at normal levels for awhile now, and she has not flinched once. Her power is such an isolating burden. To hear everything. A deafening cacophony of constant noise. Unable to hold a regular conversation with a person, have an intimate moment without the sound of their breathing or their heartbeat drowning it out. To try to sleep while a neighbor four streets away is having a fight. To keep everyone's secrets constantly. You can free her of that."
Dolores looked as shocked as Mirabel as if just realizing herself, "I can free her?"
"Have you not figured it out? Mirabel, you did get a power that night. A glorious gift. You cancel the Candle's magic. You decay its power over us. And you are getting stronger."
Bruno was getting excited now, his breath came quicker, and he leaned close to the bars, licking his lips before continuing, "I would be able to get my life back. I could hold conversations with people without them reading doom into every word I said. You know, I made a joke at my own sister's wedding once. Trying to help ease her tension. And boom! Hurricane. I joke with the neighbor about his weight, and he spirals. Soon, nobody would talk to me. I was so alone. But you can change all of that."
"But our very house would crumble."
Bruno gestured to the bars, "if this is what the house is built on, then isn't it time that it did?"
Mirabel's mind was racing, Dolores was clutching her knees to her chest staring ahead, "maybe it doesn't have to be so permanent. Maybe I can move down the street, and when you guys want a break from your powers, you can come and visit. I can be a Madrigal. A useful part of the family. If I just talk to Abuela..."
"No!" Bruno's yell echoed ferociously, "no matter what you decide, Mirabel, you cannot tell your Abuela anything. She wouldn't understand."
"I can make her understand. She loves this family, if we show her how much you all are suffering."
"How much we are suffering? How much more visual were you thinking of getting?" Bruno rapped the pattern on the bedframe a bit faster, "you don't understand, Mirabel. The candle, and its Gifts to this family are all she has. It is the source of her strength, her sense of purpose. She will not allow a threat to that to exist. Even if that threat is you. Even if that threat is her own son."
"So, I am to watch the house crumble, and warn no one? Not even give anyone a choice?"
"Please Mirabel. Please." Bruno laid back, the fervor of his earlier excitement seemed to have burned him out. His hand only moving to flip the hourglass once more.