Rays of sunlight bashed my eyes forcing them into a squint. The heat of the jungle let up as I passed through the barrier. The world I knew before faded behind me, a distant memory I wished to forget. All the pain and suffering I endured was lifted off my shoulders. My eyes relaxed after a few seconds and I was finally able to see what was hidden away from the rest of the world. Drifting out of my haze, my eyes focused on what was in front of me. More jungle. 'Seriously?' Although the humidity and temperature had declined, my body was still famished and tired. My stomach groaned in despair, aching for sustenance. Moving my legs was next to impossible which resulted in falling onto my knees with my hands outstretched and planted on the ground. Each breath I took became longer and heavier than the last. My stomach was turning itself inside out and my arms were beginning to cry out in pain.

Unconsciously, my hunger for energy activated my gift. The grass that surrounded me wilted away as I sucked in their life essence. Flowers and plants that stood tall and filled with life, slumped in pain. The jungle around me became a monotone of black and grey. While everything around me died, my body was re-energized. The addicting warmth of life flooded me. My stomach no longer longed for food. The aching from my arms and legs was silenced. It became infinitely easier to breathe and my vision was not an unfocused mess. Even though my body was fine, my consciousness wasn't. I peered around me, taking in the death and destruction I had brought upon the jungle. My arms became jelly and wouldn't stop shaking in fear. 'What have I done?' This power, I couldn't control. Should I even continue my search? Would they even accept me as one of their own? The seeds of doubt tunneled their way into my head. Like the annoying kid that wouldn't shut up during class.

I wasn't scared of my power, I was afraid of what I could do with it. Picking myself up, I trudged through the jungle, following a crude path that was buried under the bushes. What piqued my interest was the sudden change in weather. One second it would be sunny with clear skies and then the next clouded, rainy, and thundering. It was abnormal for such weather patterns in a country near the equator. It snapped back to rainy and was immediately pelted with thick droplets of water. The sudden weather changes didn't bode well for my immune system. As the rain continued, my body grew weaker as it succumbed to a cold. My legs brushed through the tall grass as I waded my hands through the strains of grass. Regretfully, I used my powers yet again to keep my body going but in doing so, left a path of death and destruction behind me. My clothes were soaked and I was drenched in water but my body was warm and healthy. Being able to survive this jungle was a journey I never want to relive.

My trek continued but soon came to a halt when a noise cracked through my dazed trance. A soft growl echoed through the grass. It shook the trees and scared some birds away. Walking in the tall grass drastically limited my vision but out in the distance, the green field slowly parted against something. It was low enough that I couldn't see what it was as it glided through the green curtain of grass. The growls got louder as it got closer and soon I retreated out of the grass, carefully eyeing for the beast to exit. A head slowly emerged from the grass and revealed a tiger. Its bloodied white teeth were slathered in saliva as its jaws hung open. The fluffy yellow and black fur flew softly against the wind. The tiger leaned in lower, its claws grinding ditches into the dirt.

"I don't want to hurt you." As the words slipped into the ears of the tiger, its growls got louder.'Great, now I'm talking to tigers.' My legs kept inching me back, allowing me to keep my eyes on the tiger. Looking away from it would allow it to strike. I have to keep watch of it. We made our way around the patch of tall grass, and I made sure that it didn't leave my sight. It was going as smoothly as it could until my back hit a tree. I was stuck against the base of it and the tiger knew it, pouncing just in front of me. It lay inches away from my legs, ready to strike at the first sign of weakness. There was no way out for me. Unless… I kill it. I've never used my magic on a living being before, only plants and flowers. Granted, this was a very abnormal and specific situation but desperate times call for desperate measures. The question was, could I do it? Could I devoid this creature of its life, its very soul? Would I become someone who was a slave to their needs and emotions? Once the deed was done there was no turning back.

Another step was taken by the tiger. Its sharp fangs inching closer towards my exposed chest. My hands were plastered against the gritty bark of the tree, desperately scratching it in fear. This caused me to begin draining the tree. That familiar warmth flowed through my palms yet again. However, this time I was aware of my unconscious behavior. I jerked my hands away from the tree. There were black marks and flaky bits of wood where my palms were. The tiger noticed my sudden movements and pounced at me. Its roar grabbed my attention as it pierced my ears. It raised its two front paws and clawed at the air in anticipation. Defensively, I pushed my hands forward to face it and used my magic. 'Oh god, I'm used my magic.' The fire in the tiger's eyes was extinguished like a candle. The beast's corpse collided headfirst into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me and forcing me onto the ground.

A painful groan escaped my lips. My hands went to push the tiger off of my stomach and felt the lush fur that encased it. I stopped moving my hands as soon as they touched the tiger. That was when I realized. The tiger was ice cold. There was nobody heat being expelled from it. I lifted the now corpse of the tiger and freed myself of the horror before me. I rolled its head over and looked into its grey-filled eyes. It was dead. I killed it. I could've justified my actions by saying that it was going to kill me, that I was defending myself. No amount of reasoning could deter the fact that I had killed it. What's worse is that no one else would know. The body would decompose in a week or so and all that would be left were the bones. The remains would be buried under more grass and dirt but I would still be alive, haunted by the consequences of my actions.

Brushing the dirt off my pants, I regretfully continued my journey to Encanto. I had hope that I could find peace and forgiveness in that magical place.


As the day continued, it got harder to keep myself standing. I had used my powers only on small plants and flowers, limiting the damage I caused. A clearing through the tress revealed itself to me. Beyond the leaves, I could see a flicker of beige, pink, and turquoise. They weren't flowers or plants. Flowers weren't shaped like buildings. Realizing how close I was, I sprinted as fast as my legs could take me. The buildings got bigger, and bigger, and bigger until…

I stood at the top of a hill overlooking a vibrant and colorful town. People buzzed through the streets with such life and carefree smiles. Clusters of stores and houses all formed into one big blob of color that stood out like a sore thumb compared to the lush light green of the forest that surrounded it. There were crops off to the right side, with dozens of flourished bushes with ripe cocoa beans, corn, and bananas. Despite their dry appearance, the farmed goods looked rather appetizing. My breathing became steady and my heart rate slowed down. Civilization. People. Encanto. It was all there, within an arm's reach. I descended the hill with haste and casually strolled into town. I say casually but in reality, I could barely feel my arms and legs. The main street was filled to the brim with people, who all looked like they were living the best life they could, and honestly? I envied them. My presence attracted many concerned eyes around just like back home. Realizing that I stood out from the crowd like a sore thumb, I slid my way through to an alleyway. A sigh of relief jumped from my lips as I sat against the wall in disbelief. 'I'm really here.' Unexpectedly, my stomach let out a growl of hunger, begging for food and water. My arms and legs screamed in pain and exhaustion from walking and running through the jungle nonstop since lunch. I needed something to eat. My hands dug through my pockets, looking for my wallet. The black hunk of leather was filled to the brim with enough pesos to last me for two months. The rest of it was back at the house.

Leaving the alleyway, I ventured to the town square where stalls were set up. Fresh fruit, beans, rice, and cocoa powder. It all looked mouth-watering. I stuck to the outside of the stalls, too afraid to get any closer without attracting attention. After grazing my eyes on the various foods on display, I settled for the tamales that were being sold by this woman with fading black hair and a turquoise apron. There were many attendants for her stall but oddly enough, most of her customers seemed to have many injuries. There was a man with a broken leg, a woman whose hand seemed to be dislocated, a child with a bleeding elbow, and so on. It could just be a coincidence but it seemed very strange. What intrigued me more was that no one paid for the food, she just openly gave them as much as they needed and never received payment. As I reached the front of the line, my less than kept appearance startled the older woman who immediately handed out two tamales.

"Oh my god, señor! You look like you've been beaten half to death! Here, eat these quickly. They should make you feel better right away."

"Thank you so much, señora. But how much do I owe you?" I fumbled my wallet open and faced the open end to her. Needless to say, she was taken aback by my question. She quickly composed herself and gently nudge my wallet closed.

"You don't have to pay me. This food is free for everyone in town. Now quickly, eat one before you faint!"

Bewildered by her explanation, I reluctantly took a bite of her tamale. Its crispy outer layer lets out a noticeable crunch. The soft stuffing inside it filled my mouth and body. A familiar warm feeling swept through my arms and legs as both regained their strength. It was like the food itself was coated with magic. I couldn't believe that one bite healed my body, that her food could heal me at all. The rest of the tamale was gone after my first bite, satisfying my hunger for the time being. Putting the second tamale in my pocket, my eyes met hers once again. They softened in my relaxed state. Her dark hazelnut eyes pierced through my poor attempt at a façade like any mother could.

"You're not from here, are you señor? Your accent gives it away." Somberly, I shook my head. Strands of hair fell onto my face and shielded my eyes from her steely gaze. My fingers tightened into a fist.

"No, señora. I'm from the village past mountains." That triggered her. Something deep within her mind immediately halted everything to process my words. Her jaw hung slightly agape

"You're from beyond the mountains? How did you get in?" Her tone grew more anxious with each word that left her mouth. I pulled out my brother's necklace, holding it by the string. The jagged jewel that hung from it glowed a barely visible yellow light. The heat radiated around it and brushed against my hands.

"I don't know if you'd believe me but I have magic thanks to this." Her tender hands caressed the jewel, basking in its warmth. She wasn't scared or suspicious instead, she was familiar with the magic. As her fingers distanced themselves away from the necklace, I grew more nervous by the second.

"You're just like us."

"What do you mean, 'us'?" Her eyes perked to my side and looked at the line behind me. With a sigh of frustration, she turned back to me with a neutral expression.

"Come back here when the sun sets, we'll talk then."


Waiting was painful. I had to conserve my money, so occasionally I'd sneak off into the jungle to kill a couple of plants and flowers to keep myself going. With each essence stolen, I felt less regret and guilt about using my powers. Whenever I was in town, I'd walk around admiring the beauty and rustic nature of the town. It had been here for five decades, untouched by the horrors of the outside world. What I couldn't figure out was, 'Where was the magic?' The most I had seen was when I passed through the mountain but in town, everything seemed normal except that woman's tamale. Speaking of which, her stall had fewer people by the end of the day. Right after our talk, a very muscular woman visited her while she worked. Apparently, she was her daughter. I was only able to capture a glimpse of their conversation before the girl back into town.

"Hi mama, how's the stall today?"

"Oh Luisa, mi amor. Everything is going smoothly today. I see you're working today, are you taking your breaks?" Luisa playfully rolled her eyes and brought her mother into a hug.

"Si, mama. I take an hour break at 11 and 3. I'm pacing myself and not pushing my body too much."

"Oh, that's great to hear. Mirabel will be so proud of her Hermana." The mother perked up onto her toes and gave her daughter a quick kiss on the cheek. Luisa's eyes subtly scanned the town square before leaning down to her mother and whispering something into her ear. Whatever she said seemed to worry her mother, but was given reassurance by her mother.

"All right mama, if it's ok then it is. I'll see you at home tonight." Luisa jogged away out of sight leaving her mother to attend to the stall alone again. I dismissed the interaction no more than a concerned daughter and mother. My exploration of the town was peaceful and quiet during the afternoon. I passed by the farms and crop fields, all the plants were healthy and ripe with fruit. My body had gotten weaker despite the magical properties of the tamales. My stomach ruptured in anguish and my legs buckled under my knees. Swiveling my head around, I made sure no one was watching and grasped the tree branch. The color was sucked out of the banana. The bright and cheerful yellow transformed into a depressing grey and black.

In a moment of weakness, I took more. My reach extended beyond and ravaged the field of crops and fruit. A wave of yellow toppled through the field, leaving it empty and brittle. My regret was dominated by my greed and selfishness. The power felt amazing. As the final speck of life was absorbed into my body, a voice startled me.

"Si, si. I'll check on the crops. Deja de molestarme!" It was the farmer. I dove behind the low stone wall that surrounded the crops and laid on my stomach. My heart was racing and I thought it would burst out of my chest. Cupping my hand over my mouth, I muffled my breathing. A bead of sweat rolled over my face as the steps got louder.

"Dios mío. Mi amor, come out here!"

"What, cariño? The arepas sill need to be cooked."

The door swung open again. She let out an audible gasp in horror. I began to slowly inch towards a small pathway on the side of the house and get out while they were distracted. Dirt painted onto my clothes and pants as I crawled next to the wall.

"What happened to the crops?" She exclaimed in horror. A sea of lifeless black plants covered their backyard. "What should we do? Should I get Isabell to fix them?" I stood up against the wall of the house, peaking around the corner. I watched in pain as the couple frantically paced around their backyard, arguing about what to do with the recently deceased crop.

"Yes, go and get her. This was a year's worth of food for the town! Whatever happened here wasn't natural. Get Isabella's grandmother as well." The wife dashed back into the house and out the front door. Rounding the corner, I kept my head low and hurried back to the town square to meet that woman from earlier.


"Luisa. When you've finished your break, could you go and check up on mama? I saw from the window that there's a long line down at her stall."

Stuffing the last Empanada in my mouth, I made my way out of the house and down towards the town. It was a busy day like always, with people swerving in and out of buildings like there was no tomorrow. The children were let out of the schoolhouse and rushed through the town with such energy. One of them was Augusto. He was around Antonio's age and ran straight to me. Mirabel had been his tutor and friend when he started school so he visited often or she would visit him. The little boy jumped and wrapped his tiny arms around my leg.

"Hello, Luisa! How are you?"

"I'm doing great, Augusto. How's school?" His small eyes met mine as a wide grin grew on his face.

"I'm doing amazing! Mirabel is helping me and she's the best! I was going to visit her now to show her my test." I picked up the little boy and threw him into a hug. He returned the gesture and urged his head into the crook of my neck.

"That's amazing! Do you need me to walk you there?"

"It's ok, I know the way there."

And just like that, the little boy was running up the hill to casita. Making my way down the main pathway, many townspeople were waving at me, and the children were staring in awe and wonder. None of them asked for help, however, because right after casita was rebuilt Abuela announced to the town that some changes were being made and that one of them would be that I would be taking more breaks to ease the pressure and stress off my body. Everyone took the news well and understood that they relied on my gift too much. So many smaller jobs were left to them but I still contributed to tasks that required my strength or ones that could hurt people. With my new free time, Isabella, Mirabel, and I have been spending more time together to find out what I enjoy outside of work.

It turns out that I have a natural talent for painting. Tía Pepa gave me the art supplies that she received as a child. She tried to paint and draw but whenever it didn't turn out the way she wanted it to, the village would be engulfed in a hurricane. Abuela quickly suggested that she try embroidery which ended the same way. The embroidery set was later given to Mirabel who treasured it ever since.

Entering the town square, I spotted mama at her usual spot. The line was long but not as long as before. Now people were being more careful and fewer injuries had propped up. But there was one person lined up who caught my attention. He looked like a guy around Isabella's age. His clothes were dark and beat up. There were rips and tears all over his pants. A disheveled gaze eyed around the square him like he was confused. I could immediately tell that he wasn't from Encanto, that he was from beyond the mountain range. With a gentle frown on my face, I hovered around the edge of the square, watching mama talk to the mysterious man. The look of bewilderment on his face once he took a bite of mama's tamales, was the same look some of the children have when they take their first bite of her food. Despite him being uncomfortable with mama's food, the two get to talking. I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying but I got to see a flicker of worry in mama's eyes when he held something out for her. A small tint of yellow flickered against her face as her eyes widened.

'What was she looking at?'

When the man took off, I approached mama, as conspicuous as a person of my size could be. Her face was still shell-shocked from whatever she was shown and the worry grew with each step.

"Hi mama, how's the stall today?"

"Oh Luisa, mi amor. Everything is going smoothly today. I see you're working today, are you taking your breaks?" I opened my arms and invited her in for a hug, to which she eagerly obliged. It felt nice to show my softer side in public. For years I had to keep up the strong and fearless façade but now thanks to Mirabel I could express how I feel without being shamed for it.

"Si, mama. I take an hour break at 11 and 3. I'm pacing myself and not pushing my body too much."

"Oh, that's great to hear. Mirabel will be so proud of her Hermana." She cupped my chin and gently caressed my face with such love and tenderness that only she could give and gave it a quick kiss. I quickly glanced around to make sure that hombre misterioso wasn't here. I leaned down into her ear.

"Mama, I saw that man talk to you earlier. Who was he? Should I be worried?"

"Mi mariposa, you have nothing to fear. That man's just scared and confused. Don't worry I'll introduce him to our family to make him feel welcome in the town." I released mom from my hug and kissed her forehead.

"All right mama, if it's ok then it is. I'll see you at home tonight." Waving goodbye, I jogged out of the town square and start to ask around if anyone needs help.