37. Chapter 37

The next morning. The family Madrigal arrived at the breakfast table. All looking disheveled and incredibly tired.

It looked pretty obvious that not one single person had managed to get a good night's sleep.

Even Alma looked worse for wear. Her eyes looked very tired, and a few strains of hair had escaped her otherwise always neat hairstyle.

Mirabel was putting on as brave a face as she could. But it was clear she was still on the verge of tears.

No one knew what to say…. So they said nothing. And then Alma sighed deeply.

"Where's Brunito?" she asked a little annoyed over the one lacking family member. Everyone else had managed to show up in spite of how tired they were. But one seat was empty.

"He probably just overslept Mama. Let him sleep." Julieta asked. "yesterday was a pretty long night."

"It was a long night for all of us." Alma huffed then sighed. "Very well then." She finally straightened herself up. "Let's say our prayers," she said and they all folded their hands and bowed their head to say thanks so they could eat.

The rest of the day was a bit of a drowsy haze. People were just doing whatever chores they had and went on with the day as best they could. Forcing a little smile here and there. Watching a little television. Not really noticing each other.

Then dinner arrived and Alma closed her eyes. "Someone go fetch Brunito," she demanded.

This time people nodded. Missing one meal happened. Missing two was unheard of.

And then Pepa stood up as she sighed deeply, looking like she was basically dragging herself out to the entrance.

For a while, they were sitting there in silence and then suddenly there was a big shout, loud enough so everyone could hear it. "BRUNO?!"

That made everyone sit up straight and wide-eyed looked at each other. The yell had sounded shocked and even scared.

Then the entire family just jumped up and ran straight to the entrance and up the stairs towards one Pepa who stood there looking white as a sheet while a cold wind went through the room.

Alma blinked and then looked towards the door and she gasped.

The door was… Flickering. Sputtering and blinking as if it has trouble keeping itself alive. Like a candlelight on its last leg, it sputtered.

"What?" Isabela asked.

"First Mirabels door and now Tio Bruno's?" Dolores gasped holding her mouth as Mirabel's eyes watered.

"Is it going away?" Luisa asked frightened. "Like Mirabels?"

At that Alma's eyes widened. "MOVE!" she shouted as she just cut through the entire group and grabbed the door handle opening the door. Only to see a large curtain of sand falling down. "Brunito… BRUNITO!" she shouted.

Normally this curtain would open up to allow visitors inside. But this time that didn't happen.

This didn't stop Alma though and she hissed as she ran inside through the sand. Only for her scream to be heard on the other side.

"MAMA!" Pepa screamed and now the rest followed only for all of them to fall and scream in surprise as they fell down a big dune of sand and then landed in a rather unflattering heap at the bottom. "Mama!" Pepa gasped again as she rushed towards Alma who was groaning deeply.

Then Julieta came as well, breaking apart the arepa she had grabbed from the table as they ran and gave one bite to Alma.

"Thank you, Pepita… Julieta." Alma gasped as she accepted their help. And ate the little piece of arepa.

"Woooow." Camilo gasped as he stood up. Looking around. Then he blinked. "What's wrong with Tio Bruno's room?" he asked.

That made everyone halt and then they looked around.

The room looked… Odd to say the least. Everyone elses rooms looked welcoming and suitable for their gifts. Here… It just looked like sand, broken stone pillars, and four long stone walls that seemed to continue forever. The stairs that came out of the walls and they just kept going up and up. They could barely even see the top.

"This is not right," Julieta whispered. "This is not what…"

Pepa swallowed as she looked at Julieta. "When is the last time you were last in here?" she asked.

"I… I don't remember." Julieta admitted. "Years…. You?"

Pepa swallowed. "Same."

Just then a rumbling sound came from above and then, a stone came crashing down.

Everyone screamed as they had to jump aside. Only for a pillar to crumble and started to fall.

Only barely did Felix manage to grab Mirabel and get her out of the way as she threw himself and the child away from the falling stones.

"GET THE CHILDREN OUT OF HERE!" Alma shouted. "This place is dangerous."

"Bruno!" Pepa cupped her mouth and called up. "BRUNOOOOO! Are you up there! BRUNO!"

"I can't hear him up there mama," Dolores whispered. "No one is breathing and there's no heartbeat. There's no one there."

Pepa gasped.

"We still need to check that room." Alma huffed. "Felix get the children out of here!"

"WAIT!" Isabela shouted. "We can use my vines to get up there! We did it before when I took Dolores."

Alma looked at Isabela and then nodded. "Good thinking Isabela. Agustin go with her! Check that room. The rest out! This place is too dangerous!"

"But." Luisa began only for Alma to start pushing her towards the door and Julieta handed the rest of her Arepa to Agustin before Isabela created her vines to pull her and her father up.

While the rest were ushered outside as things seemed to keep grumbling from above.

Outside the door, the family all waited with bated breath that was until… Isabela and Agustin returned. Both shaking their heads.

"It was empty up there," Isabela informed. "Not a living soul... Not even his rat."

And Alma exhaled a deep breath of relief. Nothing was better than a corpse! Then she turned to Dolores. "Dolores. Where is Brunito?" she asked. "Can year hear him?"

Dolores frowned deeply, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she seemed to be listening intensely.

The entire family seemed to be holding their breaths and then… Dolores shook her head. "Sorry," she whispered. "But… If he's not talking it's pretty hard telling people apart in the Encanto. His footsteps are pretty light, but so are other peoples… There's usually sand falling off him. But… The only ones who sound like that right now are all of you guys... and me I guess." she said whisking sand off her shoulder. "I'm sorry... I don't think I hear him right now."

Alma's lips thinned. She turned to the door that still seemed to be flickering then back to her family. "Find him," she said. "Find Brunito!"

And everyone nodded not even hesitating as they dispersed. Everyone was in a panic.

Where was Bruno? Where could he even have gone? And what did that door mean?! It looked like it was dying and that... That was scary.