Cold. It's all that I could feel now. The trickling whispers of bystanders as I trudged through town. It was all I could hear. Of course, they all had their suspicion. When I reached my house, I could only grimace as I gazed at it. A pile of flowers lay delicately to the side of the front door with pictures of my mother, little brother, and father. The town had loved them, mourned, and grieved over them while at the same time giving me dirty looks. The gossip that arose after their deaths floated around town.

'It was probably him who led the soldiers here.'

'I find it awfully convenient how he got out without getting hurt.'

'He was always so distant with everyone.'

We lived in a small town that I couldn't remember the name of. My family moved around the world so much that it was hard to keep track of each new house. It was a small town, the kind where everyone knew each other's names. You could walk from the main street to both ends in twenty minutes. Our house was off to the side next to the markets, which made it easy for my mom and me to do the shopping.

My hand slowly grasped the necklace I wore. My little brother's birthday gift to me and the last reminder of life before. Filled with dread, I opened the cursed door and made my way into the house. The inside was scarce and barely lit up. A shell of its former self. It took all my strength to look around. The place I once called home where I felt safe and loved, stripped of everything I once held dear. Tenderly, my palm graze the walls of my bedroom, and couldn't help but let out a small sob of pain.

It suddenly got dark and my chest felt tight. My breath became faster, my arms couldn't stop shaking. It was getting harder to breathe by the second. The palm of my hands kept jittering. Everything became blurry, to the point where my feet got caught between each other and I fell onto my bed. My cheeks got wet as streaks of tears dashed along my face and dripped onto my bedsheets.

Suddenly, the dim light of my necklace brightens up and hypnotizes me. The stress and panic that had come from nowhere quickly vanished. I was curled up on my bed, my arms crushing my knees in an embrace. 'Why did that happen?' I need help. Going to the doctor would be logical but with only so much money left from my parent's will, I had to be smart about spending it. No, I couldn't afford the doctors right now. Sitting up in my bed, my hazelnut eyes stuck to the last family photo we took. It was all four of us. Mom and dad were in the back while my brother and I stood tall in the front. We had just moved into this house. My brother's smile was bright and optimistic and my parents' smiles were tender and loving. That night, I cried myself to sleep.


Since the house legally belonged to me now, all of my family's belongings were being transferred to other relatives except for my stuff. However, I was able to keep one thing. My mother's favorite flower. An Alpinia Purpurata. Its beautiful pink edges blossomed from the pot. A sweet smell filled my mind that brought back memories of mom. I delicately danced my fingers across its smooth surface, taking in every bit of it. The color of the plant began to drain from it which didn't faze me anymore. This is how I kept myself warm. The plant's life essence filled me with such energy and warmth, during a time when I couldn't rely on anyone. Regret and pain quickly overwhelmed the temporary warmness when I gave life back to the plant, its original bright pink infected the bland black and grey.

It was frustrating. Keeping this power inside me and away from the world meant nothing to me if I couldn't use it to benefit my community. To feel useful to someone, to be needed. To feel, wanted. I knew that I couldn't be selfish with it either, mom's teachings were still buried in my head even after her death. I would know off by heart exactly how she would react.

'Don't just think about yourself. Give back to others as much as they give to you.'

'I didn't raise my son to be rude to others. Do you see me being rude to you?'

'No matter how bad a situation looks, there are always choices. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.'

She was always there for my brother and me, whether it be for reprimanding us or pouring her heart out to us. Either way, she would constantly tell us that she loved us. Every day got a little bit darker without her and there seemed to be no stopping from descending into that empty void.


I remembered back to a few days after the funeral. One of the children from the town had come to me while shopping at the local markets. He had a light brown complexion with poofed-up black hair like a cloud. He couldn't be older than five years old. His wide-eyed innocence caught my attention as I paid for the food.

"Hi seƱor, I heard about what happened and I'm sorry about your familia." He dug his hand into his pockets and revealed a small wooden sculpture of a flower. It was crude and rough around the edges." My hermana made this for you. She said that it would give you a miracle like the story of Encanto."

I kneeled to his height and slowly wrapped my fingers around the piece of wooden art. It was smooth but still rough around some edges. I let out a small chuckle and ruffled his hair.

"Thank you. You're very kind. What's Encanto?" The question only seemed to lighten the little boy up as his mouth dropped open in surprise, "You don't know the story?" He barely pronounced the words out of pure shock. I shrugged my shoulders in response. He plopped himself to my right and whispered into my ear.

"Some say that thirty years ago, this village was attacked by corrupt soldiers. They pillaged houses, killed people, and set the town on fire. The original people who lived here fled that way." His small finger pointed to the ominous range of mountains that looked over the valley." Somehow the villagers made it through there with the help of magic. They say that the magic made the mountains themselves and now that there's a town that lives behind them. They call that village: Encanto."

The boy stepped back as the story sank in. Who would tell this boy such a tale? Waving off the story as nothing but folklore, I thanked the child for his sister's gift and he ran away to join his friends. I couldn't help but gaze upon the mountains. Villagers did say that no one could climb it, much less get over it. If it's true, could there be something behind those mountains?


Back at the house, I paced around the living trying to rack my brain. If what he says is true then I should have no problem getting there because I'm magic, right? And if I died trying to find Encanto then it wouldn't matter. I got nothing else to live for.

The house was left barren as I moved through town only carrying a water bottle. The journey through was met with stony silence. Everyone was ignoring me but at the same time, I could feel their eyes stick to the back of my head when I wasn't looking.

There was a tempting opportunity to suck the life of these people and watch them drop dead on the pavement. As invigorating as it was, I held back on my desires and pushed through to the opening of the forest. The lush green fauna spread out endlessly beyond the cement border. The jungle let out a low growl like it was a warning of the dangers it houses. I ignored the sound and pushed deeper into the thicket of leaves.

The path I followed, I couldn't believe my eyes. The jungle was utterly beautiful. There were flowers in a variety of colors, the water was crystal clear and there was a cool breeze that swept through my hair. I trekked beside the main river. Occasionally I'd refill my water bottle and use my powers to kill any bacteria in the water. As I got further up the river, the mountain that towered over our town got ever-so closer. The humidity rose considerably as time went on. It was around noon when the temperature rose. It was getting harder to climb the inclines. Screeching from birds pierced the sky as a flock flew over and left my ears in a ringing state. 'I really need to get out of here.'

My stamina and endurance were getting low after two hours of nonstop hiking. Regrettably, I used my powers on some nearby plants and trees to sustain myself. I finally arrived at the summit of the mountain. Well, less of a summit and more like a straight line that shot up. There was no slop on the mountain and therefore impossible to climb without any tools. Perpendicular to the river, I used the conveniently placed sets of rocks as the footpath. Splashes of water hit my pants. It felt cold but in a refreshing way. By the fourth step, the necklace began to glow again. Unlike back in the house, it got brighter and released more particles into the air. 'Definitely going the right way.'

Successfully crossing the river, the necklace got hotter and brighter. It became so hot that I was forced to take it off my neck and hold it in my right hand. One of the flowers planted on the ground began to glow the same yellow as the necklace. 'The magic!' After a few seconds, the bottom of the mountain was now a wall of light and magic. It pulled me into a trance that I couldn't escape from. The light was mesmerizing and the warm glow encased my body. Birds perched on the treetops flew through the mystical barrier and disappeared without a trace. 'This is the door. This is where the miracle came from.' With my right arm stretched outwards, I slowly pushed my hand through the wall and was met with no resistance. It was as if the necklace was allowing me to enter this hidden world.

With half of my arm already on the other side, I sucked in a deep breath and stepped into the yellow void.


"Mirabel call down our sisters and cousins. Tell them breakfast is ready." The table set itself up thanks to casita and the kitchen window waved at me to signal that the preparations were taken care of. I gave her a quick nod.

"Si, mama."

After the rebuilding of casita, everyone had been working on themselves and it was all so perfect. The most notable changes came from my sisters. When we all worked on casita, Isabella and I made sure that Luisa took her breaks and that she didn't work alone. The three of us had grown closer with each other which allowed her to be more open about her feelings and opinions of the jobs that were given to her.

Isabella had grown more casual, letting go of the 'perfect' lifestyle that she had been pressured into living in since she was five. While she kept her manners, Isabella was more open to small pranks on us, especially Camilo. Her new dress was beautiful. The explosions of color filled her dress to the brim, the chaotic design spoke loudly about her relaxed demeanor now. She had gotten more involved with the farmers due to the variety of plants she would grow that weren't just flowers. Her cacti provided a lot of water for them to keep their cattle and crops healthy which she was very proud of.

I am, and will always be, there for my two hermanas. They had grown so much and I couldn't love them more for becoming who they wanted to be. With casita's help, I strolled along and knocked on everyone's doors. I was greeted by a group hug from Luisa and Isabella, who quickly made their way downstairs after their good mornings. Isabella's door was cracked open enough for me to see her new room design. Instead of a bed of flowers that were plastered on the walls and floors, there was a variety of wacky plants, cacti, and flowers. All of them were popped out of order resulting in a sea of color that would catch anyone's eyes.

When I got to Antonio's room, he came out riding his favorite tiger, lying down on its back with his wrapped around in an embrace his little arms could endure. The tiger let out a small growl and shook its head which ruffled Antonio's face. All he could do was let out a laugh as his hand slowly brushed against the fur and pat its head.

"Ok, ok. I'll get off now. I'll bring you some food later, so don't eat anyone else. Understand?" The tiger rolled its eyes sarcastically and buried its head into Antonio's chest for a quick hug to which he obliged. The yellow and black beast then retreated into Antonio's jungle.

"How'd you know I was going to call for you?" Pulling him into a tight embrace. He quickly snuggled his head into the crook of my neck. The strands of his tightly curly hair tickled my cheeks. With a soft and tender voice, he whispered into my ear.

"The rats told me you were coming." We both laughed. He squeezed his arms tighter around my neck until I regrettably set him down. My eyes met his wide smile and sparkling brown eyes.

"Of course they did. Now go to the dining room, mama has made breakfast for everybody." He immediately dashed down the stairs, being carried by casita and laughing on the way down. I couldn't help but laugh inwardly at Antonio's cheeky mannerisms.

Camilo was up next and I could already hear the snores escape through the bottom cracks of his door. Dolores had often brought up his nasal habits and begged to soundproof his room, or at the very least his door. Clearly, he hadn't acted upon his hermana's requests. Most likely out of laziness. My knuckles rapped against the door and were met with a slow and low groan, then a loud thump. A blob of Camilo's shadow underneath the door frame awkwardly lifted itself back and shuffled closer. I was met with a rather unkept primo. The dark edges underneath his eyes and spiked-up hair of the shapeshifter faced my sly smile.

"Oh sorry. Did I wake you from your beauty sleep?" My mouth was held shut but a small giggle escaped and made its way to his ears. With the energy he had, Camilo let out a sarcastic laugh before brushing his hand through the strands of his hair. Despite his current state, we still embraced for our morning hug.

"Why'd you wake me up so early, Mirabel?"

"You do this every time. It's 8 o'clock and mama's made breakfast. So freshen yourself up and go downstairs before the food gets cold." I sighed. With two goofy thumbs-ups, Camilo heads straight for the bathroom while transforming randomly to get his body warmed up and stretched for the day.

Lastly was Dolores. When Isabella's out with the farmers, Dolores is whom I consider my other older sister. Her quiet nature was warm and welcoming to everyone but ever since Casita's reconstruction, she and I had grown closer. We would talk more often alone. She would reminisce about the dates she and Mariano went on, while we worked on some of my sewing projects. Her voice was quiet as always but when it came to her boyfriend, I couldn't help but notice her become more passionate and open about their relationship. She was getting better at sewing and recently she made a napkin just for Mariano. That day, when she returned home, I had never seen her so happy.

Before my hand even made contact with the door, it swung open and revealed my prima. Sporting her red band that delicately wrapped around her hair and the warm yellow dress that fit her perfectly. She beamed with confidence and pulled me into a tight embrace, quietly giggling as she did so.

"Good morning, my prima." Her voice came out in a whisper. I returned her gesture and deepened the hug, wrapping my arms tightly around her back.

"Morning, Dolores. Do you have any plans with your novio today?" The corners of her lips peaked as our arms eased. Her hands cupped around the side of her mouth as she leaned in.

"Yeah, he said today he'd be taking me into the jungle for a quiet hike together. He's very thoughtful." I couldn't help but smile with glee. Those two were so perfect that it was uncanny.

"Well, I hope you have a wonderful time but first, breakfast. Camilo's using the bathroom so you may want to use the one downstairs."

"I can hear him now. I wish I couldn't while he's doing his business." We both laughed in sync before she strolled her way down the main set of stairs. Every day is perfect now and I couldn't be more proud of my familia.