El Viaje de Coquita
El Capítulo Veintiocho

Socorro tumbled through the air watching as story after story after story rushed past her. She couldn't see the ground below her, but knew that there was nothing that could prevent her from being trapped in this realm for good.

Dante grabbed her blouse with his teeth, but he only succeeded in costing Socorro her sombrero.

Socorro could see the stone walkway below her and braced herself for the impact.

But then she felt herself hit something soft and furry.

A mighty roar confirmed what it was that saved her.

"Pepita!"

The jaguar alebrije flew back up to the balcony, while the sombrero landed on a passerby's head.

While all this was happening, Ernesto straightened himself out and flipped the curtains aside, ready to continue the show.

He greeted the audience with a welcoming laugh, only to receive boos from the audience.

Ernesto was confused. "Please! Please! ¡Mi familia!"

"Murderer!"

"Get off the stage!"

Ernesto ran to the edge of the stage. "Orchestra! Uno, dos, u - -"

The conductor snapped his baton in two and tossed it to the floor.

Ernesto sucked in a deep breath. "Recuérdame, hoy me tengo qu - -" He was met with a tomato to the chest. "Hey!"

More food was thrown at him until a woman pointed above Ernesto. "¡Mira!"

Ernesto turned around and saw a screen showing Pepita landing on the balcony with Socorro on her back.

Amidst the thunderous applause from the audience, it dawned on Ernesto that the Riveras had broadcasted his rant and attempted disposal of Socorro for the whole audience to see.

The shivers down his spine only grew more pronounced as he watched Pepita approach the curtain.

The giant alebrije emerged onto the stage and stared down Ernesto until he was teetering over the edge of the stage.

Ernesto struggled to breathe evenly. "N-N-N... Nice kitty!"

Pepita punted Ernesto off the stage and grabbed him by his leg, flying him above the stadium roofs before tossing him into the air and kicking him off the tower.

Ernesto spun through the air until he slammed into a giant bell and landed on the platform below.

He just barely caught sight of the bell above him before it snapped off its mount and came down on top of him.

The audience saw the whole thing on camera and erupted into the loudest and longest applause ever seen in the Land of the Dead.

The Riveras finally unraveled from their embrace. "Mija, gracias a Dios you're okay!"

Coco gave Socorro the book that she had dropped when Ernesto grabbed her braids.

"Gracias, Mamá Coco."

Imelda looked to the east. "Socorro! It's almost sunrise!"

Héctor walked over to his wife. "Here's a pedal."

Socorro put the book in her pocket. "Mamá Imelda?"

"What is it, mija?"

The girl took a hard swallow. "I-If Abuelita gets here before I get the chance to tell her, would you tell her I said sorry about throwing her walker down the well? And for running away?"

"We will." Héctor held out the pedal. "You have our blessing, Socorro."

Imelda's voice quaked like pastel de tres leches. "No conditions."

"Gracias." Socorro grabbed the pedal and was whisked back into de la Cruz's crypt.

Socorro stood up and looked through the windows, all shining fresh daylight from the sun.

Checking her pockets to find that she still had the book, her eyes drifted to the guitar under Ernesto's painting.

She climbed onto the coffin and plucked the guitar from its mount.

Her actions attracted the attention of the crypt keeper. "¡Oyé! ¿Qué cree está haciendo aquí?"

Socorro tucked the guitar under her arm and pushed her way past the man, running for home as fast as her legs would allow.

The crypt keeper went to call the police.

Socorro whizzed through the gates of the cemetery, through the plaza, and through the marketplace.

Abel was the first family member to see her. "There she is!"

Rosa saw her run for the courtyard. "Socorro! Stop!"

The girl pushed her way through the gates and ran for the front door.

Miguel jumped in her path. "Where have you been?!"

Socorro pushed her brother aside and threw the door open.

He suddenly noticed the guitar. "Where did you get that?!"

Socorro slammed the door in her brother's face and locked it.

"Socorro!" Miguel started banging on the door. "Socorro!"

But the girl was already running upstairs to her and Miguel's room.

Outside, the rest of the family saw a number of police officers converging on their property.

Luisa approached them, noticing her son trying to get into the house. "What's going on here?"

"The keeper of de la Cruz's crypt says that a Rivera girl stole the guitar just this morning."

There was no time to register the news before she heard Miguel shouting "Mamá! I need the keys!"

She called for her husband. "Enrique! Miguel is locked out of the house!"

"On my way!"

Luisa returned her attention to the officer closest to her. "Why would Socorro steal a guitar?"

"That's what we're here to figure out, señora."

Enrique went to the door, key ring in hand. "Stand back, mijo."

He unlocked the door, and Miguel ran inside in search of... "Socorro? Where are you?"

The other family members swarmed after him in search of Socorro.

"She couldn't have gone far with that guitar; secure the area."

All the officers surrounded the hacienda.

One got out a bullhorn. "This is la policia; come out of the house with the guitar in plain sight!"

It wasn't long before Socorro emerged from the door with a guitar case. "Alright! I'm here! Here's the guitar. I'll cooperate."

Miguel appeared behind her. "What's gotten into you?!"

"Let's just get this guitar to Ernesto's crypt."

"We'll take care of the guitar; you're coming with us to the police station."

"Sí, señor."

Miguel took his sister by the shoulder. "You've got a lot of explaining to do."