One shot/ work in progress? (I've been persuaded to add onto this story)
It was a beginning and an end all at once.
Back in Casita where two sisters for the first time in a long while find themselves actually enjoying one another's company. Healing not only each other but also the miracle which was so very precious to the entire Madrigal family.
Looking at her beloved younger sister she flicks a wayward flower from her own delightfully messy dress ''You're a bad influence.''
Laughing until they're newfound bubble of joy is burst by the arrival of their abuela.
''What is going on?!" demanding to know what has gotten into her perfect Isabela.
Gasping both Isabela and Mirabel get up while Abuela looks at the house in disbelief.
''Abuela?''
Seeing abuela, Mirabel immediately starts excitedly explaining. Meanwhile Isabela remains rooted in place, shame filling her face. Her body shrinking under their abuela's disappointed gaze.
''It's okay! Everything's…'' Mirabel says beaming with pride. They did it, they saved the miracle. ''We're gonna save the miracle. The magic…''
''What are you talking about?'' abuela interrupts her, shutting her down before she can really explain, ''Look at our home! Look at your sister!''
The colorful, wild flowers which the sisters had enjoyed slowly disappearing along with Isabela's smile and new found happiness. Unable to do anything other than swatting at her dirty dress trying to remove the stains, looking nervously between her abuela and her hermana.
''Please just… '' Appealing to her abuela once more Mirabel tries to explain that she did something great for the family, she was helping. ''Isabela wasn't happy.''
''Of course she isn't happy. You ruined her proposal.'' Gesturing at Isabella.
''No, no, no. She needed me to ruin her proposal.'' Powering through Mirabel continued. ''And then we did all this!'' Pointing at the beautiful new flower species Isabela made throughout the courtyard and on the roof of their Casita.
Abuela grunts in frustration as Mirabel keeps talking. Seeing abuela's reaction makes Isabella instinctively move away from Mirabel. Doing what abuela and the entire community had conditioned her to do since she received the title of the golden child, perfect Isabela. She distanced herself from everything that was considered imperfect not realizing that over the years that had started to include her hermana Mirabel.
''And the candle burned brighter and the cracks…''
''Mirabel.'' Abuela says shaking her head at her granddaughters rambling.
''That's why I'm in the vision!'' Mirabel exclaims looking at her abuelita, waiting for the warm embrace or at least her abuela's praise for proving her worth. ''I'm saving the miracle!''
Losing her patience abuela throws her arms out yelling at her, ''You have to stop, Mirabel!''
Mirabel's face falls immediately but abuela wasn't done yet.
''The cracks started with you.'' Abuela points at Mirabel as Luisa and Isabela watch them from the sidelines.
''Bruno left because of you.''
Crackling fills the house while clouds form in the sky.
''Luisa's losing her powers. Isabela's out of control.''
Both Luisa and Isabella look down at the ground as abuela voices her disappointment in them.
''Because of you!'' looking at Mirabel, abuela goes on. ''I don't know why you weren't given a Gift, but it is not an excuse for you to hurt this family.''
Heavy breaths fill the air as more cracks appear in Casita's foundation.
Mirabel breaks the silence with a mere whisper, filled with grave pain. ''I will never be good enough for you.''
Just as her own parents enter the courtyard. She pays them no mind though, her only focus being on her abuela.
''Will I?''
Looking her abuela…the matriarch of their family, the woman she's looked up to, whom she's loved and tried to make proud everyday of her life, the person who used tell her stories and kissed her goodnight… in the eyes the realization hits hard.
''No matter how hard I try.'' Voice wavering as tears fill her eyes.
Storm clouds fill overhead as Mirabel turns to look at her sisters and parents standing on the sidelines. As abuela stands ramrod straight, eyes not straying away from Mirabel.
''No matter how hard any of us tries.'' This was the straw that broke the camel's back, she said what should've been said long ago.
Looking from her abuela to her hermanas and back, she speaks up.
''Luisa will never be strong enough.''
''Isabela won't be perfect enough.''
Mirabel wasn't just speaking, it was like she was begging for abuela to open her eyes. To open her eyes to the pressure she put on them and the pain it had caused.
''Bruno left our family because you only saw the worst in him.''
Abuela yells back, raw hurt filling her voice mirroring her granddaughters voice ''Bruno didn't care about this family!''
Mirabel counters emotionally, standing up for her Tio Bruno. ''He loves this family.''
''I love this family. We all love this family.''
The cracks spread more and more.
''You're the one that doesn't care.''
The towns people gasp in fear as thunder clouds fill the air and huge cracks tear through the ground.
''You're the one breaking our home.''
''Don't you ever…'' Abuela tries to interrupt but Mirabel finishes what she needs to say.
''The miracle is dying because of you!''
Gasping as an enormous crack appears between Mirabel and abuela. Casita begins to shake as more cracks tear through its foundation.
''No, no, no!'' Pepa pleads with her arms stretched into the air towards the candle as cracks start to reach the windowsill knocking the candle over.
Felix gasps ''The candle!''
Everyone bears in place as Casita shakes uncontrollably, the moment its possible Mirabel makes a run for the candle.
''Casita! Get me up there!''
Casita moves a railing to act as a ladder.
Camilo makes a run for the candle as well, being on the first floor he shifts in order to move faster and dodge the falling debris.
Isabela creates a vine in an effort to swing to the candle but midair her powers and thus her vine disappears leaving her midair and crashing to the ground.
''No!''
Luckily Casita managed to slow her rapid decent by catching her with support beams and letting her roll onto the ground level of the courtyard.
Panting she lays there shocked and is shortly joined by her cousin as Camilo gets ripped out of a shift while reaching for the roof.
''No!'' catching hold of a guard rail that Casita provided he lands on all fours next to Isabela. Out of breath and looking at his own hands, unable to comprehend the loss of his power.
Abuela gasps in horror and disbelief at what is happening to her home. The house is shaking, the plants are dying, and the cracks are tearing casita apart.
Mirabel climbs onto the roof, from there seeing that their encanto has been split open by the cracks. She has to save the miracle, not only for her family but for the entire town. If she can't then her abuelo's sacrifice was for nothing and their entire town could fall prey to the dangers from beyond the encanto.
The animals flee Antonio's room as every room starts to collapse in on itself. Antonio looks around gasping at everything that is unfolding right before his eyes.
''Careful Antonio!'' Felix grabs his youngest son just in time as his room door fell down and almost crushed him, just as foretold by the prophecy.
''We gotta get out of here!'' Felix yells, running to the exit while he dodges the falling debris.
''Mirabel! Mirabel!'' Julieta yells her daughter's name, fighting against Casita who is pushing everyone out by creating waves with its tiles.
''Mirabel, we have to get out!'' Her father yells reaching his arm out to her as he and Julieta are pushed further and further away from their daughter.
Everyone gets pushed out onto the lawn and right that second the door opening to their home collapses.
Bruno runs through the walls and jumps through the battered wall landing safely, albeit a little roughly on the outside of the house.
Mirabel sees him get out, lifting a weight of her shoulders. Uncle Bruno made it out, he is safe. She refocuses on her mission, she has to save the miracle no matter what!
''Mirabel!''
The first to get up off the ground are Abuela, Julieta and Agustin. Abuela Alma can only look in horror as she sees Mirabel, her and Pedro's sweet granddaughter, balancing precariously on the roof. Frightened of who Mirabel reminds her of in this moment.
Dark clouds, danger, bravery, the candle, and the blood of a Madrigal…she can't move just like that night. She should do something, she knows this but it's like she's frozen in place.
Running closer Julieta grabs her mother's shoulder for support, desperately screaming for her youngest to get out of the house, ''Mirabel, leave it!''
She's so close, she has to save it. Save the candle, save the miracle, save her familia! Frantically grasping for the candle as Casita tries to keep the tiles up as to not let Mirabel plumet to the ground.
Cracks continue to ravish Casita and it's slowly losing all power.
''Mirabel! The house is going to fall!'' Felix yells, hoping his voice can reach his niece.
She almost has it! Almost… stretching herself she's finally able to grasp the candle.
''Mirabel, get out!''
Looking up with the candle in hand as her family screams her name, Mirabel sees Tio Bruno's tower crumbling and coming right at her.
''Mirabel!''
Casita slides her to the lower level and protects her as best it can using fallen debris as a make shift shelter. Using her hands Mirabel shields what is left of the fast burning candle, gasping as the heavy debris falls on top of her, burying her in rubble.
''Mirabel!'' Julieta screams as she tries to run into the still collapsing building, being held back by her family as the rubble buries her youngest daughter alive.
Everyone runs into the ruins that was once their home when the whole building has finally come down, only three Madrigals remain outside the wreckage.
Abuelita frozen in place, breathing heavily.
Antonio who was instructed to stay with abuela, slipping his small hand into his grandmothers withered ones. He too remains frozen, unable to do anything as silent tears slip down his now ashen cheeks.
And poor Bruno standing to the side, glowing green eyes filled with tears. A prophesy fulfilled and changed at the same time. His prophesies weren't set in stone and for that he had always been thankful but now he wished they had been.
''Mirabel?!'' Felix yells trying to see through the dust clouds.
''Mirabel please answer?!'' Agustin pleads desperation leaking through his voice.
''Hermanita? Please call out!'' Isabela climbs through the wreckage crying out for her youngest sister.
''Mirabel?!'' Yelling louder than Dolores ever has since getting her gift. Someone grasps her wrist tightly.
But when she turns around it is not Mirabel as she had hoped but instead her Tia Julieta.
''Dolores?'' Urgency evident in her voice and something that Dolores can't quite place.
''Can you hear her? Can you hear where Mira- Where my baby is?''
Despair. That's what it was. Every minute they couldn't find Mirabel was a minute her chances of survival dwindled…
Shaking her head softly ''I don't,'' swallowing ''I can't hear her. My power is gone… I, I can't find her.''
''We'll find her.'' Julieta nods to herself, padding Dolores' cheek and releasing her niece to search further.
''Camilo?'' Pepa asks.
''Yes mama?'' looking at his mother through the dusty air.
''Mijo, you are going to run to town and get Mariano's grandfather Emmanuel and father Matías, in that order do you understand?'' Pepa stresses her son. ''You run as fast as you can, you hear me.''
''Yes mama'' Camilo says holding his mother's hands tightly before running into town faster than he has ever run.
Underneath the rubble a young girl struggles to breath with the weight that bears down on her. Hearing muffled sounds from above she yells loudly.
''Help!''
''I'm here! Please someone!?''
No matter how loud she tries to yell all that comes out is a raspy whisper.
''Casita? Help me please'' she whispers as her breathing becomes shallow and her breaths become raspier by the minute.
''Please…''
''Mirabel?! Mirabel?! Was that you?!'' Luisa screams having heard the small whisper. ''Everyone quiet!"
''Luisa?'' Agustin looks at Luisa in question.
''Mirabel?! Call out again!''
Silence filled the wreckage as everyone waited with bated breath.
It takes everything in her to answer her sister and even then only a small whisper comes out.
''m hre.''
''She's under here!'' Grabbing a huge piece of the stone wall Luisa is suddenly confronted by her worst fear.
When her family, her sister needed her most she couldn't… she was too weak to lift the crushing weight off of her baby sister.
Grunting she screams in frustration, tears slipping over her cheeks. She struggles, clawing desperately at the sides of the stone as it slips further and further out of her grasp. The stones rough edges slicing her hands.
And then the wall became lighter as more hands joined hers. Lifting that piece was just the start as they found themselves removing more and more heavy pieces burying their sweet Mirabel.
Camilo returns with Mariano's grandfather Emmanuel and father Matías just when they reached Mirabel.
''Mirabel?'' Julieta asked caressing her baby's cheek.
''Mama?'' big brown eyes open, unable to return the favor.
''Mirabel, are you hurt?'' Julieta asks inspecting her youngest with her own eyes.
''I don't understand mama, I-'' Mirabel's face scrunched up as if she couldn't find the words.
''Emmanuel please, the magic is gone, we can't… Julieta can't heal her'' Agustin pleads as he sees the one and only doctor in all of the encanto, unbelievably grateful that there is even one left considering that his wives magic had made their job obsolete.
Emmanuel paid him no mind, running straight to the young Madrigal girl. Kneeling down next to her he gets right to work.
''Everything I can see doesn't look too bad she most likely has a concussion. I am worried about her labored breathing, though that could be from the dust. Mirabel any discomfort anywhere on your body?''
''I dn't undrstan'' Mirabel murmurs back confused.
''Your body, does it hurt anywhere?''
''th candle, h cndle, mir-''
''Slurred speech…''
''Is, is that bad?'' Camilo asks quietly.
''Turn her on her side please, I have to examine her back for any injuries.''
Mirabel grunts a little as Dolores and Pepa help to turn her on her side. Gasping at the side that greets them before having to turn her back. The floor under their little Mira is stained red, a piece of wood protruding from her back oozing blood.
''Emmanuel do something, Emmanuel!?'' Why wasn't Emmanuel helping his daughter, she's bleeding why isn't the doctor stopping it.
''Emmanuel?'' father Matías asks getting the response he feared most. Emmanuel looks him in the eyes and shakes his head negatively.
''I'm sorry-''
''What do you mean you're sorry?'' Isabela asks looking up from her spot next to Mirabel.
''No? No. Emmanuel please I know I took your job but you can't do this, don't take it out on my daughter please? I beg of you?! Save her'' Julieta cries gripping the doctor as he tries to get up. ''I'll do anything!''
''Julie,'' holding her hand Emmanuel looks at the mother ''I would, if I could. Nothing I can do will save her, her injuries are too severe.''
The doctor walks away from the family leaving them to say their goodbyes.
''Mira, hermana? It's all gonna be alright. Mama will whip you something up and you'll get all better okay?'' Isabela whispers softly as she makes eyes contact with her baby sister.
''m'mas? Gifts ok'y?'' Mirabel asked, Luisa burst into tears as her little sister asks about others wellbeing even though she is dying.
No one knew what to say, should they lie in their last moments with her or tell her the painful truth.
Someone joins the circle of Madrigals and answers Mirabel's question. ''Si Cariño, you saved us all''
''buela 'm s'rry''
''No, my sweet, I am sorry for you were right all along. You are everything a Madrigal should be, you would've made your abuelo so proud. Almost as proud as you make us.'' Abuela says unable to keep the tears at bay.
''We should t'lk bout Bruno, he lov's us'' Mirabel rasped out reaching for Bruno's hand, who runs over from the small distance he was standing removed from the rest of the family.
Why is her family so sad? We did it, the miracle is saved. Her mind is so foggy, should she be sad as well?
''Baby does it hurt anywhere?'' Julieta asks stroking her hair. Oh how Mirabel loved it when her mama did that.
''D'nt fel pain, only m'ma'' smiling softly at her mama, she likes mama. Everyone is being so nice to her, but they look so sad.
''d'nt b sad, m'rcle s've '' Why is she so tired? They really should go inside it's getting awfully cold.
''p'pa is c'ld'' Mirabel says coughing an awful wet cough afterwards.
''It is cold mi amour, why don't you close your eyes and think of warm things? Eh? that always worked, didn't it?'' Agustin lays his coat over her to give her some sense of warmth, she smiles at them as if it is a normal day and the only problem they're having is that it is a bit chilly outside.
''jst gon sleep fr a bit…''
''You do that bug. You deserve a little rest, being our big hero and all'' Dolores whispers tearfully.
''We'll be waiting for you.'' Antonio whispers quietly while holding father Matías' hand not quit understanding what is happening and that Mirabel wasn't ever going to wake up.
''We all love you so much'' Julieta says still stroking Mirabel's hair.
Father Matías performed the last rites. Eyes didn't even get the chance to close as the light left Mirabel's eyes. Beautiful brown eyes turned dull and lifeless along with the rest of her body.
The candle lay next to the body of Mirabel Madrigal and as her life slipped away the candle burned brighter than ever.
The entire town heard the cries of despair and loss that night unable to help the Madrigals for no one could turn back time or bring back the dead.