El Viaje de Coquita
El Capítulo Veintisiete
Socorro and the rest of the Riveras reached the backstage area beside the stage, where they saw Imelda held tightly in a one-armed hug by Ernesto.
"Buenos días y bienvenidos to the 84th Annual Día de los Muertos Sunrise Spectacular! I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday this year!"
Socorro turned to the rest of the family. "We need to get her off the stage!"
"But it's almost time for the holiday to reach its conclusion, so let's make this ending momentous! Songs to show the world that our living families remember us, and that we continue to live on in this beautiful world of music and art!"
Coco retrieved a guitar and brought her father to a microphone, whispering the song she wanted him to play.
"So just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!"
As the audience applauded, Héctor started plucking out notes on the guitar, sending them radiating across the arena.
Imelda recognized the tune and, noticing a signal from Socorro, began singing along to it.
"Ay... de mí, Llorona... Llorona, de azul celeste..."
Ernesto released Imelda from his grip and repeated the lyrics.
"Ay de mí, Llorona... Llorona, de azul celeste..."
The duo descended opposite staircases and continued singing, Ernesto beckoning his guards on stage, Imelda gazing lovingly at Héctor.
"Y aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona, no dejaré de quererte...
No dejaré de quererte!"
The orchestra picked up the music at that point, and the audience erupted in cheers as Imelda showed Ernesto her game face and a challenging finger twitch.
"Me subí al pino más alto, Llorona, haber si te divisaba!"
Ernesto spun Imelda towards a line of guards.
"Me subí al pino más alto, Llorona, haber si te divisaba!"
Imelda wove through the guards.
"Como el pino era muy tierno, Llorona, al verme llorar, lloraba!"
Ernesto followed after her.
"Como el pino era muy tierno, Llorona, al verme llorar, lloraba!"
Rosita and Victoria stared at the stage as Imelda held out the book like a matador cape and then pulled it away as Ernesto lunged for it, prompting an exclamation of "¡Olé!" from the audience.
"La pena y lo que no es pena, Llorona, todo es pena para mí!"
Ernesto picked up Imelda and set her on the other side of the stage from her family.
"La pena y lo que no es pena, Llorona, todo es pena para mí!"
Imelda tangoed with one of the guards before spinning him into Ernesto.
"Ayer lloraba por verte, Llorona, y hoy lloro porque te vi!"
Ernesto managed to get hold of the book, but lost it again courtesy of a knee to the spine.
"Ayer lloraba por verte, Llorona, y hoy lloro porque te vi!"
Imelda wormed through the guards and twirled toward her family in the wing.
"Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona... Llorona, de azul celeste!"
Ernesto grabbed her before she could reach them.
"Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona... Llorona, de azul celeste!"
The duo twirled in each other's arms back to the middle of the stage.
"Y aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona, no dejaré de quererte!"
Ernesto took over singing and started throwing Imelda around as much as was allowed to qualify as part of the show.
"Y aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona, no dejaré de quererte!"
He grabbed Imelda in a one-armed grip and plucked the book from her hand.
"No dejaré de quererte!
No dejaré de quererte!"
Imelda wormed a leg free and stomped on Ernesto's foot.
"Ay, LlorooooooooooooooNAAAAAAAAJAAJAAJAAJAAYYYY!"
She took the book back and ran to where her family was waiting, jumping into Héctor's arms and planting a juicy kiss on his lips.
Imelda got backed on her feet laughing euphorically. "I forgot what that felt like!"
Héctor returned the laughter. "You... still got it, mi diosa."
Everyone else was stunned silent until Socorro cleared her throat.
Imelda noticed the pedal in her fingers. "Ah! ¡Sí!" She traded the book for the pedal before preparing a steaming plate of nachos for the girl. "Socorro, I give you my blessing."
The pedal glowed, making way for ground beef and salsa. "To go home,..."
Then a helping of shredded cheese. "To apologize to your living familia,..."
Socorro braced herself for the habañero peppers. "And put a stop to Miguel playing music?"
Imelda assuaged her worries with a generous dab of sour cream. "...and to always remember how much your family loves you."
Socorro sighed with relief.
Héctor smiled for the living girl. "You're going home."
Socorro reached to take the pedal from Imelda.
Before she could reach it, she was grabbed by her braids and hoisted into the air.
"You're not going anywhere!"
Imelda lunged at Ernesto, who pushed her into a control booth.
"Imelda!" Héctor rushed to Imelda's aid.
Ernesto dragged Socorro to a balcony behind the curtain with the rest of the family following him.
"Stay back! All of you stay back! Not. One. More. Step."
Dante grabbed Socorro's leg and tried to pull her out of Ernesto's grip. But it was no use. The evil mariachi pulled her out of the alebrije's grip and threw her on the edge of the balcony.
Héctor grabbed Ernesto's shoulders. "Ernesto! Leave the girl alone!"
Ernesto threw Héctor into a microphone, which toppled near his feet.
Noticing this, Rosita secretly pointed a nearby camera at Ernesto.
"I've worked too hard, Héctor! Too hard to let her destroy everything!"
"She's a living child, Ernesto!"
Victoria found the switch to activate the camera.
"She's a threat!" Ernesto snarled. "Do you think I will let her go back to the Land of the Living with that book? And take away everything that's important to me? No!"
Socorro got to her feet. "You're a coward!"
Ernesto slapped her in the face. "I am Ernesto de la Cruz! The greatest musician of all time!"
"Papá Héctor is the real musician; you're just the guy who murdered him and stole his songs! Music is supposed to bring families together; you tore my family apart!"
Ernesto grabbed Socorro by the throat. "I am the one who's willing to do whatever it takes to seize my moment!" He pulled her face directly into his. "Whatever it takes!"
He ran to the edge and threw the girl into the abyss with all his might.
"NO!" Héctor reached out over the edge.
One by one, the rest of the family gathered on the edge calling after Socorro.
Ernesto spun around on his heel, stealing a glance toward Héctor.
"Apologies, old friend," he shoved Héctor's hat into his chest as he swaggered back to the stage, "but the show must go on."