Isabela refused to leave her sister. Mirabel insisted she would be fine. Still, Isabela didn't budge. Mirabel was doing surprisingly well considering what she had been through.

Alma warned everyone about the criminal. Nobody panicked. The Madrigals could protect them with their gifts. However, Alma didn't tell them that the miracle was practically useless against this enemy.

Julieta took care of Mirabel's wounds the best she could. She cleaned them up. She wrapped her broken bones up and put them in a cast. She had Mirabel elevate her right arm and left leg.

The Madrigals continued their daily tasks. So far, there was nothing suspicious. Was Mirabel wrong about there being a criminal? Maybe she was hallucinating. Isabela finally left Mirabel's room. She did the boring task of being perfect. She grew flowers and took care of plants. She was doing Senora Guzman's yard. Senora wanted her flowers to stop attacking her. Isabela grew some flowers that she could control so they would attack anyone. Senora thanked her before going away. Isabela was about to leave when Mariano approached her.

" Hi," he awkwardly greeted.

" Hi," Isabela greeted. " I'm sorry, but I have to go. People need me," Isabela told him.

" Oh, okay. See you later then?" Mariano asked.

" Of course," Isabela answered.

Mariano gave her a kiss goodbye. Isabela watched him leave. She started to leave herself. However, as she reached for the handle to the gate, someone grabbed her by the hair. She was yanked and thrown back. Isabela stumbled, struggling to keep her balance.

Isabela gasped. A cloaked figure stood in front of her. He took out a knife before charging at Isabela, who shot vines at him. He managed to slice her shoulder, cutting through her dress sleeve. Isabela winced. She recovered quickly. She moved her hands to shoot more vines at the figure. Nothing happened. The figure charged towards her again. He tackled her to the ground. He shoved his knife down. Luckily, Isabela managed to grab hold of it before it reached her. She struggled to keep it from cutting through her skin. She whimpered as it got closer and closer.

" Ah," she yelped when the knife stabbed her chest.

She heard the figure chuckle. She tried to push him off of her. She was unsuccessful, but she managed to pull the knife out of his hands. The figure just wrapped his hands around her throat. Isabela clawed at his cloak as she gasped for air.

" Hey! Leave her alone!"

The figure looked up. Pepa was outside the gate. The figure threw Isabela at her. Pepa caught her. The figure grabbed the knife and disappeared just as quickly as he appeared. Pepa held Isabela on her lap.

" Are you okay, sobrina?" she inquired.

" Yeah, thanks to you," Isabela answered once she caught her breath.

" Mirabel was right. He was probably waiting for us to let our guard down," Pepa said.

" Well, it worked," Isabela replied. " Thanks for the save."

" No problem. But… Why didn't you use your gift?"

" When he sliced me with that knife my gift stopped working," Isabela explained.

" Just like Julieta's gift was working," Pepa stated.

" Yeah, but she never got sliced… did she?"

" I honestly don't know. We have to find out as much as possible about this guy."

" How?"

" Simple, we ask mama. She's escaped them once. She saw them kill papi. She has to know something about him."

People were complaining. Julieta's food wasn't healing anybody. Her gift wasn't working. Julieta knew there was something wrong.

Alma sat down and rubbed her forehead. She couldn't believe this was happening. She hoped it had been over for good. She escaped them once, but she was sure she couldn't do it again. Isabela and Pepa entered Casita. Alma gasped.

" What happened?" she questioned.

" The guy Mirabel was talking about attacked Isa when she was at the Guzmans. He took away her gift somehow. She barely escaped him. It was a miracle I was going to water their crops," Pepa explained.

Julieta bursted through the door.

" My gift isn't work- oh my god, Isa, what happened?"

" I'm fine, mama," Isabela reassured her.

" What's- what's going on?"

They turned around to see Mirabel trying to come down the stairs. She had to hold on to the ledge. She accidently put her left foot on the ground, causing her to yelp in pain. She tripped, falling down the stairs. Luckily, Pepa and Julieta catch her.

" Mirabel, what are you doing? You're in no position to be moving around," Julieta scolded.

" Sorry, mama. I heard screaming and I got curious," Mirabel apologized.

" You need to be resting. It's a miracle you're alive, you know," Julieta said.

" Okay…"

" Let's get you back upstairs," Pepa told her.

" Isa, you're bleeding," Alma announced.

" Yeah, the figure stabbed my chest. I'll be fine," Isabela replied.

" Let's go get you cleaned up," Alma commanded.

" Yes, Abuela."

Pepa gently lay Mirabel in her bed. She pulled the covers up. She gave her a soft and loving kiss on the forehead. Mirabel smiled sweetly at her.

" I love you, tia."

" I love you too, mi sobrina."

Julieta wrapped a bandage around Isabela's chest.

" Thank god your tia was there," she remarked.

" Mami, I'm thirsty," Isabela whined. " Can you go get me some water?" she asked.

" Of course, baby," Julieta answered.

She gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek. Isabela smiled as she watched her mother leave. She turned to her abuela. Her eyes widened.

Julieta poured some water in a cup. The figure was more dangerous than she thought. He almost killed her daughter. She couldn't wait until she got her hands on him.

" ABUELA, LOOK OUT!"

CRASH! SMASH! SQUISH! SLICE!

" NOOOOO! ABUELA! YOU MONSTER! MAMIIIII!"

Julieta ran back into the living room. Her eyes widened in terror. Her body trembled in fear. Alma lie on the floor. Her skin was drained of its color. She was covered in blood. Her eye sockets were cut out. Her head was split open. Her heart had been stabbed. Her legs and arms were cut off. The living room window was open. The cold wind got inside of Casita. Isabela was sitting next to her abuela. She hummed a sad tune. Her gown, skin, and hair were splattered in blood. Julieta knelt down beside her daughter.

" Isa… are you okay, baby?"

Isabela continued to hum. She stroked her hair for comfort. Her body was trembling and her eyes were wide. She seemed to be in some sort of trance. Pepa came running into the living room.

" Is everything alright? I heard scream…ing."

She clasped her hands around her mouth. She whimpered and whined. She was clearly trying not to cry. A cloud formed and it began to rain… hard. Julieta pulled her daughter into a hug. Pepa joined them. She wrapped one arm around her hermana and the other around her sobrina. She and Julieta cried. Isabela just sat there, allowing herself to be rocked back and forth.

The rest of the family came home. They were shocked at what they saw. Julieta, Pepa, and Isabela were cuddling. Julieta was stroking her daughter's hair. Pepa sang gently and calmly. Next to them lie the body of what used to be Alma Madrigal.

Felix covered Antonio's eyes. Antonio had spent the day with him. They didn't want him to be alone. Camilo and Dolores comforted each other. Luisa squeezed her father. No one said a word. It was too devastating. Sure, Alma pushed them too hard and was sometimes too harsh, but she was still their abuela and mama.

They planned her funeral. Mirabel surprisingly didn't cry. She just sat there and nodded her head. Isabela had gone silent. She hadn't said a word. Soon, Abuela's grave was ready. The tombstone said:

Here lies the body of Alma Madrigal

1885-1950

The holder of the candle; the miracle

Abuela and mami

Will forever be remembered and be in our hearts

Everyone took a moment of silence. Mirabel finally allowed a few tears to drop. Alma Madrigal died a couple of weeks ago. The family couldn't be more devastated. Will the criminal leave them alone now that she's dead? Or was Pepa right about them wanting something else?

To be continued

( Another short chapter. They will get longer as the story gets going. I'm expecting the next one to be a little longer.)