65. Chapter 65

When Alma had been very young. She hadn't been living in this Encanto.

No. She had lived somewhere else. In a small town.

The town Alma had grown up in wasn't big, and it wasn't rich. People worked every day together just to come by and aid their neighbors.

But they were happy there.

People would be smiling and be ready to lend a hand to those who fell behind, they didn't have much so they shared and people were happy.

This town no longer existed. It was gone… Burned to the ground and then forgotten. Like it had never been there in the first place.

All those memories from Alma's childhood. Of helping her mother baking Arepas. Of running after her father as he was walking to the fields.

It was gone… All of it.

Her mother's shining eyes, her father's laughter, and Pedro….

Alma and Pedro had been supposed to be together. They were supposed to have a life together.

Gentle Pedro who would help the kid who had scraped her knee and put a bandaid on it as he offered the kid a gentle smile.

Shining Pedro. Who wore his emotions on his sleeve and when he laughed it was like the sun was shining with him as he took a few dancing steps to cheer up Alma. and when he was angry you could almost feel the thunder erupt.

Protective Pedro… Who would do anything to protect his family.

When the soldiers came he asked Alma to stay hidden with the three children while he snuck out to check if the coast was clear.

When people from other towns tried to rob them. Pedro protected them with his own body and refused to step aside.

When the soldiers threatened him and shouted that Pedro should be serving the king and he was a disgrace for trying to avoid it he shouted.

"I don't care what some king or noble thinks about me!" Pedro huffed. "But don't you dare touch my family!"

And the soldier hit Pedro so hard that he fell and Alma screamed.

"Don't worry about me Quirreda." Pedro hissed as he spat out a bit of blood. "Protect the little ones! Protect our children!"

Her children…. His children. They were their children.… He had died trying to protect them.

Three treasures. Three miracles.

Julieta with her gentle soul. A healer from an early age. Always ready to take care of those around her.

Pepita. With more energy than anyone knew what to do with. And able to brighten any room with her smile or scare people straight with a thunderous rage.

And Brunito….. Brunito.

Alma shook that thought away. She could not give up now… She could not give up!

She had to protect the Encanto! She had to protect her family!

Startled did Alma gasp as she saw it, another crack by her foot. And above her the skies were tying themselves together, threatening with storms and rains.

Not again… Not again!

It was all supposed to go away now! If only Antonio's ceremony went well they could finally move past that terrible day ten years ago! They could forget about it. Say things were normal and that the magic was strong. They would be protected!

But then Mirabel had stormed in shouting that the house was in danger and then… Then it started to happen. Cracks everywhere, the magic acting strange, everything was going crazy.

And then… A green jade slab, glowing… Showing the truth. Brunito's last warning…

Cracks… Coming from Mirabel.

Deep in her mind, Alma had known ever since that day. Brunito's disappearance was strictly tied to Mirabel.

He was gone… and it was because of her. And that vision proved it!

And now… The magic was falling apart. The house was breaking. It was all wrong!

"I'm sure things will sort themselves out." Alma breathed to Paula Guzman. Her oldest friend looked just as nervous.

"Well, I certainly hope so." Paula swallowed as Mariano was nursing a nose that seemed like it had gotten hurt in the spectacle doing their failed proposal dinner.

Only for a vine to just sprout and slap him right over that same nose again. "Auw!" he yelled in surprise.

Alma gasped as she looked at the vein that seemed to have sprouted out of nowhere… Isabela? And then she looked up to see.

Plants! Everywhere plants!

But not roses or any sort of flowers.

Cacti, thorny bushes, and strange veins. Sprouting along the walls and the roads.

"WHAT'S GOING ON!" Paula screamed and Alma just panicked.

People were screaming all around the place as these things were coming from everywhere and Alma ran back to Casita as fast as she could.

Stepping aside to avoid the cracks and ducking to dodge the now quite thorny veins. Then looked at the house and saw two girls screaming and laughing while swinging around.

What were they doing?! DID THE HOUSE NEED TO BE DESTROYED ANY FURTHER!

The terror tore through Alma. What were they thinking?! Everything was breaking, the magic could be dying and these girls were looking like they couldn't care less.

Now filled with dirt and dust while the strange plants were everywhere and finally the girls vanished into the house only for Alma to gasp as she ran in there as well and saw.

The strange flowers and plants… All over the entrance. Tearing her wonderful house almost apart as if it wasn't bad enough for the cracks. And the two girls. Right in the middle of it.

"What is going on!" Alma exclaimed earning the attention of both girls who gasped.

For a second both girls looked like a deer caught in a headlight, but then Mirabel pushed herself up.

"Abuela! It's okay! Everything. We're going to save the miracle!"

All Alma could see. Were the cracks still in the walls, and the thorny veins now covering those walls. Her house… The magic that kept her family safe. Didn't Mirabel even care?

"What are you talking about?" Alma asked aghast. "Look at our home! Look at your sister!" she looked at Isabela who was covered from head to toe in all kinds of odd strange colors that were hard to place.

"Please!" Mirabel begged. "Isabela isn't happy."

"Of course, she isn't happy!" Alma exclaimed. "You ruined her proposal!"

"No no, she needed me to ruin her proposal!" Mirabel exclaimed. "And we made all of this and…"

Alma didn't hear much more than that… Needed her to ruin the proposal? Ruin it! Like Mirabel was ruining the house. Luisa's gift?! Did Mirabel even know what she was doing? What losing the magic would mean?!

Alma had seen one home vanish in front of her eyes already! It was gone! And nearly all the people she had known there.

Her mother. Her father. Most of her childhood friends and her love!

And there was Mirabel. Clearly upset over a stupid lacking gift willing to sacrifice the magic! The only thing that protected their family.

"YOU HAVE TO STOP!" Alma shouted. "Mirabel!" Shocked Mirabel looked at her and Alma hissed. The prophecy was all too clear in her mind… Brunito's last warning. The cracks… And her. "The cracks started with you." she pointed out. Angry… Devastated. And the truth… The truth of that prophecy. The truth of that night ten years ago. "Bruno left. Because of you!"

I want my son back… I want my family back… I want everything back to normal. Give it back Mirabel! And Alma continued in her rage.

"Luisa is losing her power. Isabela's are out of control. Because of you! I don't know why you didn't get a gift. But it is no excuse for you to hurt this family!"

The entire house seemed to rumble and the tiles were shaking. Cracks were formed and Mirabel looked down. And her voice shook.

"I will never…" Mirabel whispered. "Be good enough for you. Will I?"

Alma's face retrieved, her mouth thin as she stared down at her granddaughter.

"No matter how hard I try." Mirabel glanced at her family next to her as the darkness seemed to spread. Then she looked back at Alma. "No matter how hard. Any of us tries! Luisa will never be strong enough! Isabela won't be perfect enough! Bruno left our family because of you!"

Alma's eyes widened in shock and horror.

A memory flashed in her mind. The last time Alma had seen her son. She remembered her plea to him and the look of complete betrayal in Brunito's eyes. A look she had never seen before. She remembered his words.

"There are things people are just not meant to know… And I think maybe the future is one of those things."

A meager plea for a way out. For Alma to step back… But she had asked anyway and used the one thing against him she knew Brunito could not refuse…. He would do anything to protect the family.

No! It wasn't true! It couldn't be her! Pedro had entrusted Alma with their children! It was Mirabel! Not her!

But Mirabel mercilessly continued.

"Bruno left because you only saw the worst in him!"

It wasn't true... It wasn't true!

"Bruno doesn't care about this family!" Alma exclaimed. He left… He left because he didn't care! That was the truth. It had to be. Alma couldn't bear anything else!

"He loves this family!" Mirabel exclaimed. "I love this family! We all love this family! You're the one who doesn't care! You're the one breaking our home!"

"Don't you ever!" Alma screamed.

"The miracle is dying! Because of you!" Mirabel exclaimed pointing at Alma.

There was stunned silence. Except it sounded like the entire house was letting out a deep groan.

No… It couldn't be.

And then suddenly there was a crack. A big crack came in the floor between Alma and Mirabel separated them and then they crawled all over the walls and the floors. Everywhere. Tiles and bricks falling down.

The family that had gathered at the argument gasped as then Felix pointed.

"The candle!" And the cracks were indeed coming for it.

And then the entire house shook forcing Alma to step back. Mirabel however was running straight in and towards the candle.

She wasn't the only one. Isabela was swinging in only for the vine to suddenly not take command and Camilo was running but as he tried to use the appearance of a tall man to leap, his body was forced back into its proper state and Alma gasped as the entire house shook. It was breaking.

It didn't stop Mirabel however who was still climbing towards the candle and Alma screamed.

"MIRABEL DON'T!" But Casita didn't allow Alma to stay but pushed her outside and left it to the other adults to grab their children and then the rest of the adults were thrown out as well. Mirabel still climbing and Alma was horrified.

The most horrible images went through her mind… her father and mother… Her Pedro…. Her Bruno.

NO! NOT MIRABEL TOO! She couldn't even speak. Too horrified as Mirabel finally grabbed the candle only to fall down.

Julieta screamed. "MIRABEL GET OUT!"

And then… Everything collapsed. In a big cloud of bricks and dust Alma gasped horrified and finally… The dust settled and there she was. Mirabel… Shielded by Casitas door. In a last afford from casita to protect the family.

Alma gasped as she stepped forward but then stopped. Julieta ran to Mirabel instead and Alma… Alma looked around at the ruins of their broken home.

Had it really been… Her? Had Alma almost… she sat down on the ruins, gently helped by Isabela. She had almost killed Mirabel… No.

Alma looked down, her eyes squinted. As she swallowed though as she looked up she gasped. Mirabel was gone and everyone looked just as shocked.

"Where did she go?" Julieta asked.

"Mirabel?" Agustin asked. "MIRABEL!"

And Alma gasped as she stood up… Deep down she knew what was happening. What Mirabel was trying to do… She was trying to leave.

Not again… Alma could not let it happen again. Not another one. And she stood up. "We have to find her!" she gasped. "Before she's too far away."

"Mama." Julieta swallowed.

"She might be hurt!" Alma exclaimed.

Julieta halted surprised. Then understanding fell over her eyes as she nodded.

"This time we're not going to stop." Alma gasped. "I don't care if it'll take a month, a year, or ten years. We will find her!"

"It's late." Felix gasped as he looked towards the sinking sun showing that night was approaching.

"All the better reason to get going," Alma stated. "No one in this family will be left behind." she swallowed. "Not again." and she closed her eyes.

Mirabel's eyes… The way she had looked at Alma. When she had said it… How hard she tried. It wasn't good enough.

It had been just like him… That quiet sadness and desperation.

"I'm sorry." Alma gasped. "Mirabel."