My head wouldn't stop turning. I was waiting in anticipation for the farmer to appear out of nowhere and tackle me to the ground. I pushed the feeling of worry down my throat and continued back to the town square. Coming to the end of the day, the streets weren't as lively as a few hours ago. A purple haze painted the clouds as the sun inch lower behind the mountains. Lanterns were being lit on the street as shops began to close up. There was a peaceful ambiance at this time of the day. The smooth well-made tiles grazed against my shoes as I came before the familiar opening. Julieta, the woman I met earlier, was waiting by the church. She was conversing with some of the children who were praising and thanking her for the food. The smiles and cheers came to hushed noises as I approached the group. She noticed the uneasiness of the situation and ushed the children back home and waved them goodbye.
"It's good to see you again."
"Same to you, señora. You wanted to talk again?"
"Yes, follow me."
Her hand gently grasped my arm and tugged at it. I followed her through the colorful streets. Occasionally, she'd wave to people passing but I kept my face low. The guilt that stirred up within me wouldn't let me look anyone in the eyes. After a few minutes, I was led to a hill that towered over the rest of the town. Sitting on the peak was a big house. Each wall was painted a different color, displaying their own stories and personalities. Walking up the pathway to the house, I saw a flicker of movement in the corner of my eye. It was quick but noticeable. One of the tiles on the roof moved? Call me crazy but I felt a strong essence of life encircle the magnificent house. It wasn't trapped within the walls of the house, it was the house. It felt alive.
The front door caught my attention as I got closer. In bright golden lines, the door displayed a family of twelve with a teenage girl in the middle. She wore a beautiful dress and round glasses. Her big smile stared back at me as Julieta opened the door for me. The interior of the house was just as magnificent and open as the exterior. The main floor and staircase fell under the open sky while rooms encircled it. To my right was the kitchen and dining room with a table long enough to fit a dozen people. To my left was another set of stairs that led up to what I assumed were the bedrooms. As I rounded the corner, Luisa was tending to a cactus pot. She leveraged it on her shoulders with ease and set it down on a table in the corner. When she turned around, a small smile appeared. Her arms went encased her mother in a hug, which resulted in an 'oomph' from her.
"Good evening, mamá. Cómo estuvo tu día…" Her eyes slowly drifted to mine. Words turned into a hushed exhale. Despite her toned physique, Luisa was a soft and beautiful woman albeit very tall. Her face furrowed into a concerned look as she eyed her mother. Julieta gave her daughter a small nod which relieved her of her worries. She gently stretched out her hand to me with an open palm. I took the hint and shook her hand.
"Hello, señor. I'm Luisa Madrigal and welcome to our home."
"Encantado de conocerte, Luisa. I assume you're wondering how I found this place?" I said bluntly. I wanted to stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point. As our hands slipped away, she silently nodded in response. Before we could continue our conversation, however, a stampede of footsteps echoed throughout the house. In less than a second, the main foyer of the house was filled with people. They all gathered in the kitchen preparing dinner which confused me. Given that Julieta's food had magical properties, she would be the one to cook dinner. In the end, it's not my place to say.
"¡Oh dispara! I forgot to start cooking. Luisa, we'll talk later." Julieta frantically tried to brush past her daughter but was held back by the firm hand of her daughter.
"Mamá, remember the promise we all made. You don't have to worry about cooking every night now." Her voice carried worry and was as quiet as a whisper. Her grip loosened around her mother's arm as both of the relaxed, although Julieta seemed to have a bittersweet look on her face.
"I know, mi mariposa. Old habits die hard I guess."
"Now, are you going to introduce me to the new arrival?" Eyes were on me now. While the rest of the family was busy, Luisa ushered us upstairs to the second floor. Julieta was leading from the front while Luisa strolled behind me. As we walk to wherever we were going, I couldn't help but stare at the various doors we passed by. All of them were so beautifully constructed and beamed with life. There was one covered in flowers with a girl my age in the center, growing them with her hands. Luisa's door painted her effortlessly lifting a barbell above her head with a confident smirk. The last one I saw was a plain-looking door, with no pictures on it. Its worn-out rustic look gave the impression that it may be one of the most used rooms in the house. As to what was inside it, I didn't know. I was guided to a pathway that interconnected two sides of the main foyer which had two doors. Entering the closest door to us revealed to be a rather large bedroom given the density of the house. It didn't take me long to realize that this was Julieta's room. Pictures hung off the wall with her and her husband, and another one with the whole family. I didn't feel at all comfortable being in someone's bedroom but we needed privacy. As Luisa closed the door behind us, Julieta ushered me to sit on a chair next to her bed.
"Luisa, could you keep him company while I help out with dinner? We'll introduce him later."
"Si mamá." With a reassuring nod, Julieta leaves the room. The silence grew tenfold as the door was shut. Despite her strong exterior, I can tell that Luisa's nervous. The sound of sandals ruffling against the carpet entered my ears and as I gazed up, Luisa was leisurely sitting on the bed. She was more at ease when she had less company. Her shoulders dropped into a relaxed state and her breathing had gotten deeper and heavier as if she was tired. I decided to try and break the tension.
"How did you get into Encanto?" Her question pierced through me like an arrow. The inquisitive and suspicious look in her eyes rolled over me. On the surface, I may have looked relaxed but on the inside, I was churning up. The anxiety and impatience boiled in my stomach. Tugging down on my jacket, my necklace came into full view for her. It didn't glow as bright as earlier today but it was still noticeable.
"You guys are an urban legend to the village on the other side of the mountain and when I started to experience some abnormal things, well it didn't take long for me to find a connection."
"And what connection is that?"
"I never said I knew what it was, just that I knew there was a connection."
Another moment of silence followed the conversation, both of us were stuck with nowhere to lead it. Unexpectedly, Luisa shifted closer to me until she sat on the edge of the bed, arm's length between us. Her thumbs unconsciously rubbed against each other while she was deep in thought about making her next move. She looked different compared to her earlier attitude, softer and more open. The frown on her face faded away as she turned to me once again but instead of suspicion in her eyes, it was child-like curiosity. Her eyes soaked in every fiber of my being like I was an alien, they were perplexed and intrigued by my clothing and its various scratches and holes I took this opportunity to study her as well. Despite her muscular physique, her clothes didn't fight against her toned arms and chest. In fact, they seemed to flow around her like water. The dark brown locks of hair bunched into a ponytail that fit her style of a simple and hardworking girl.
'I wonder what she sees in me'
The rising volume from downstairs echoes throughout the household and into the room, halting Luisa's not-so-subtle staring.
"Your mother said that I was just like you guys. What did she mean by that?"
"What?" Shocked to the core, Luisa froze in place. A bead of sweat rolled over her temple as she once again examined my necklace. She got up from the bed and kneeled in front of me, taking the necklace into her hands. Every aspect of it did not go unseen from her as the warm glow stuck the necklace to her hands." We have a candle just like your necklace. When my mama, tía, and tío were five years old they were blessed with magical gifts. Every blood relative of our family received one, except for my hermanita and Abuela."
"Why didn't they get a gift?"
"My Abuela was given the job of the head of the family and Candle Holder. My hermanita, Mirabel, wasn't given a gift because she will soon take over as the head of the family."
As her hand slipped from the necklace she took a glance at my hands noticing the rough patches and marks on them. My silence added to her curiosity.
"If you're like us, then what is your gift?"
My fingers burrowed deep into my palms as my body tensed at the question. I hung my head in shame, avoiding her gaze and staring at my fists. They shook out of fear and anxiety.
"Promise you won't tell anyone?"
"Of course. I don't want to force an answer out of you." I flourished my palms open, unable to take my eyes off them.
"From what I've experienced so far, I'm able to steal the life essence in every living being." I shuffled over to a pot plant in the corner and knelt in front of it. My fingers brushed against its smooth edges. The dark green began to fade away, my body once again welcoming the essence. As it finishes the plant crumbles to the ground, lifeless and empty. Luisa's eyes said it all, the horror she felt as she watched her mother's plant die before her." But I can also give life." The plant rose as quickly as it fell. Its leaves sprung to life with their beautiful green. It stood straight and confident but my body felt the effects of losing life as I exhaled in pain.
"There's a downside though. If I transfer too much of my essence into something else, my body becomes weaker. Taking more life essence, however, makes me stronger but at the cost of another life."
"I-I'm sorry that you were given such a gift. None of us have a gift that could impact yourself and others, maybe my mother with her food, but not to that extent."
The soft fabric of the chair welcomed me again with Luisa watching my every move. The ambiance cooled down. A somber look on her face told me all I needed about her thoughts on my dilemma.
"You don't have to apologize. It's my gift, not yours."
A creak from the door grabbed our attention as Julieta entered the room with a plate of arepa con quesos. The noise from downstairs filled the room as Luisa stood up to leave her mother stood aside, watching her daughter leave. No words were spoken as Luisa left the room.
"I hope you weren't too uncomfortable waiting with my hija. She can be quite blunt with people she hasn't met."
"It's ok, she was just curious. All we talked about was your family's gifts and my gift."
Julieta solemnly nodded at the mention of her daughter's actions. We ate the food in mutual silence. I kept my eyes on the food but I could feel hers on me, taking in every feature of my being and my actions.
"Would it be ok if you told me what your gift is?"
I stopped chewing the food in my mouth, she couldn't have asked at the worst time. Awkwardly, I swallowed a handful of arepa con quesos and wiped my mouth. As the food slid down my throat, more of my scratches and bruises disappeared. Most of my energy had been restored and it didn't hurt to move as much.
"Where to start…"
