52. Chapter 52

When Mirabel had been little. There was a dream she often would have… A nightmare. That would wake her up and make her cry as she rushed into her Mama's room to make sure that her parents were still there.

Then her Mama would hold her, whisper it was all okay, and Mirabel got to sleep nestled between her parents.

As Mirabel grew older, the nightmare became less frequent. Until it only happened very rarely.

This night…. Mirabel was dreaming.

She was dreaming of a man, he had a very nice voice, it was a little raspy. But kind. The man held Mirabel's hand, and it felt warm and… right. She felt safe with him. He was one of her protectors. Like her Mama and her Papa.

Then… Mirabel was back at her five-year-old birthday. She saw all the people on either side of her, looking at her.

Stairs that were impossible long going towards a glowing door and her Abuela.

Her Abuela was waiting for her! Waiting for Mirabel! To get a gift so she could help everyone! Help the Encanto.

Mirabel gasped as she ran towards the door, reaching for it! She had to open it! She had to…

Mirabel touched the doorhandle and then… The handle crumbled under her fingers, turning to dust, and the crumbling spread to the door. Making the entire door vanish.

Mirabel gasped as she stepped backward. Then Mirabel turned around and saw that man, looking so sad as he reached for her.

Mirabel grabbed his hand… Only for that hand to crumble, just like the door handle.

Mirabel gasped as she stumbled backward and saw the man… Just like the door. Crumble, turning to sand, as he wide-eyed looked at Mirabel. Reaching a crumbling hand towards her and then… He was gone. Just… gone.

"No.." Mirabel gasped. "Sorry…. I didn't mean… I didn't." and she looked around to see her Mama. Starting to crumble as well. Her Papa, her Tio, and Tia. "NO!" Mirabel screamed only for the wall to suddenly crack and she gasped as she looked up. "Casita?" she asked touching the wall only for a crack to spread from her hands and go through the wall making Mirabel scream.

"No!… I'm sorry!" She cried as she fell down. "I'm-sorry-I'm-sorry-I'm-sorry!"

"Why Mirabel?" Abuela suddenly asked standing in front of her and Mirabel gasped. "Everything is dying…" The older woman exclaimed with horror in her eyes. "Because of you."

"AARRRGH!" Mirabel screamed as she sat up in her bed and then gasped for breath. Shivering… oh. It was that dream again.

Just then the baby in the baby bed next to her wailed and Mirabel gasped as she jumped up and rushed over there to pick up her little cousin. "Sorry, Tonio. So sorry. I woke you up." she breathed. "Sssssh. It's okay. I'm fine… You're fine." she whispered. And then she started to hum and slowly. Slowly Antonio relaxed and finally fell asleep as Mirabel sighed deeply while putting the baby back and crawling back to bed herself, her heart still hammering a little bit but she was doing better. The details of the nightmare were already slipping away from her and as Mirabel closed her eyes, she allowed her mind to think of different things like what next to sew and what fruits she wanted to buy at the market tomorrow.

Then finally. She fell back asleep.

This night was a bad one for Pepa. It was kind of easy to tell, the room she and Felix shared was a storm.

And not the nice kind that implied it was a wild dream and Felix enjoyed it no…. In the last five years. The storms had been different. But whenever Pepa woke up she would claim it was nothing. So Felix did the only thing he could do. He held his beloved wife close and whispered soft words into her ear.

"You are my sun," Felix informed her quietly. "The rain and wind… It is going to be okay. I'm here Mi armor. It will be okay."

Felix could only imagine what Pepa would be dreaming about she wouldn't share when she woke up…. What could it be?

Pepa's eyes twitched as she groaned, disturbed by her grin.

Pepa was dancing in the living room. The man in front of her was short, he had a wild set of curls and he was smiling.

"And now a twirl." Bruno, her small brother commented amused as he twirled her around and Pepa laughed loudly.

"Honestly Bruno." Pepa shook her head.

"I'm not Bruno. I'm the great Don Juan." Bruno smirked as he let go. "Pepa… Peeeepaaa uuuuuuh." he held up his hands. Gesturing them in a comical way. "I see your future Pepa!"

And Pepa just bend over laughing as she held her stomach. "And what do you see then?" she asked amused. "Bruno!"

Bruno flashed a big warm smile at her and Pepa beamed back at him. Happy for this moment with her brother.

"You're going to be alone," Bruno said.

Pepa froze in shock, the entire room just turned dark and void and Pepa looked up. "What?" she asked.

Suddenly Bruno was standing away, far away, he was different, his shoulders looked heavy and tired, there were bags under his eyes and there wasn't even a shadow of a smile on his face.

Then he turned away and he started to walk away.

"Bruno…." Pepa gasped. "BRUNO!" she ran for him as she stretched out her hand, but even though Pepa ran as fast as she could. Bruno only seemed to be further and further away. "Don't leave me! BRUNO!" she cried out reaching for him. But still, Bruno wouldn't turn around, he was so far away and Pepa couldn't reach him… She couldn't reach.

How… How could she have let it happen? How could she have let her brother slip between her fingers?

The space was so void and dark, and he was vanishing into the shadows.

"BRUNOOOO!" Pepa screamed. But he was gone. All gone. And Pepa was alone.

Pepa gasped as she sat straight up in bed.

"Mi amor!"

Then Pepa turned her head to see her own husband, his hair wet from the rain and wind and she looked up. "It's okay." Felix gasped as he grabbed her hands. "Breath with me. It's okay."

Indeed Pepa could feel her own breath being irradiated and she gasped for breath, then slowly… Slowly she settled down and she gasped. "I am… So sorry about this," she whispered. Knowing these occasional nightmares was the reason their infant son couldn't even sleep in the same room as them.

"It's okay," Felix assured. "I just… I wish you would tell me what is wrong."

Pepa swallowed. "I don't want to talk about it," she replied and Felix glanced down. "Hold me," she asked instead.

"Of course." Felix gently put an arm around Pepa and they laid down as Pepa sniffed.

Five years… It had been five years. And still… Even after all this time. Bruno had left them... He had left. And still didn't have the decency to actually leave... That... Bastard.

Camilo groaned deeply as he moved from side to side. pearls of sweat escaping from his forehead as he hissed. The thunder was striking from not far away from him and it only fueled his dream.

Camilo was running through a long dark corridor as he gasped, that was when suddenly something furry touched his leg and Camilo looked down as he saw a rat run right past him making Camilo scream.

One rat became many, and suddenly it was a flood of rats.

They were everywhere and Camilo screamed as thunder erupted.

"Camilo…" a voice whispered. "Camiloooo."

Scared and wide-eyed did Camilo look up as a pair of green glowing eyes was seen from the darkness way above him.

A big demonic grin as the tall man held up his hands like claws. "I'm coming to get you Camilo." the man grinned as his face retrieved back to showcase his big grin.

Camilo's eyes widened.

"You know what happens to naughty boys who don't go to bed on time," Bruno whispered. "You will scrub the dishes for a month and sweep all the floors." he grinned as Camilo stumbled back. "And then… And then." Bruno halted for dramatic effect and then showed his biggest grin yet. "AND THEN I'LL EAT YOU!" he exclaimed as he reached for Camilo with his large thin hands.

And Camilo just screamed. He screamed. "AAAAAARGGGGH!"

In Alma's room. The warm light of the candle as always was shining on her face, revealing the troubled folds showing that she was in distress.

Her eyes were twitching and the candle seemed to be fluttering in response… Alma.. Always trying to be so strong in the day. But in the night, nothing could shield her from her nightmares.

Fire… Blood… Screams…

The smell of blood was all too familiar to Alma Madrigal. That tangy sweet smell of iron and warmth.

As well as the sensation of ash in her throat, and smoke that stung her eyes.

"ALMA!" a warm and secure voice shouted as a strong hand grabbed her to pull her to safety. Out of the fire and yells, out of the horrible war and into a spot of warmth and safety.

Alma looked up, to see the kind face of her husband as he protected her with his body. And just is warm secure presence.

"Pedro," Alma whispered.

"Are you alright Mama?" the man asked and Alma blinked confused. Then to finally realize.

In her confusion and panic, she had mistaken her husband for her son… Or had she? His eyes. His eyes were so filled with concern. And they were so honest. It was impossible to tell them apart.

"I needed to make sure you were okay too," Brunito said in such a caring and concerned voice.

Alma blinked and turned around to realize they were at the Casita. With a ton of people shouting, asking what was happening to the magic. Asking her for answers… Brunito though was staying with her. His hand never left her shoulder and it gave Alma the strength to stand up again and send everyone home.

Then she turned to Brunito… They were in her room. The candle was casting a warm shadow over his face.

He looked so sad… And worn out. It tugged in Alma's heart. What had happened? Was the magic really dying? She had to find out what was wrong. For his sake too! She could not allow the tragedy of the past to repeat itself. To find its way into the Encanto. The magic was all that was protecting them.

"Brunito," Alma spoke. "You must use your gift. Look into the future. Find out why this happened."

Brunito's eyes widened in deep shock, and then came a look of utter betrayal as he looked at Alma. His facial features suddenly looked twice as old, and his eyes so exhausted.

"If that is what you think is best," Bruno replied in such a tied tone and then slowly… Slowly started to vanish in the shadow.

"Brunito?" Alma asked and then she gasped. "BRUNITO!" she screamed as she started to run.

But he was gone. She couldn't find him. "I'm sorry come back! I didn't mean.. I.. Brunito!" she screamed. "BRUNITO!"

People were screaming now, the flames and blood were back, the pure smell of burned flesh violated Alma's nose as people on horseback hunted them down.

Innocent people were dragged out of their houses and killed on the street and Alma screamed.

"BRUNITO!" she ran through the blood and the fire, not caring how it splattered on her dress or how the smoke made it impossible to even breath. "Where's Brunito?! My son! I CAN'T FIND MY SON!" she screamed. "BRUNITOOOOO!"

And there, she saw the back of a man… White shirt. Green Ruana. She wasn't able to tell which one it was. But it didn't matter, the man was there in front of her. Running away from her… And right towards the soldiers.

And then she saw it…. A gun being raised.

"No…" Alma gasped as she stumbled forward, reaching for him. "No… NO!"

And then a loud Bang

And the body… Just limply fell into the water in a big splash, red seeping out and coloring the waters.

And Alma… She screamed. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Alma gasped as she woke up, shocked did she turn to the candle, still flickering and illuminating the room. Stumbling up did Alma approach the candle and she gasped.

The candle… The only thing protecting her family!

They did not know the horror that happened outside of these mountains. They didn't know the smell of blood or the sight of a life being taken away.

And Alma would do everything in her power to keep it that way.

Not another one… Not a single one more… No… She would keep this family together and safe. No matter what.

The magic kept them safe… Would keep them safe.

Then Alma opened her eyes and a tear traveled down her cheek. Stubbornly did she wipe it away. She could not be weak. Her family needed her and she would not allow them to break… Never.

Even if… Alma turned her head and looked towards her closest. Then slowly walked over to it and opened her old closest up. Alma had to dig a bit, to get past dresses and shawls but finally, the green glow revealed where it was and Alma pulled it out.

A prophecy… But the moment in the jade slab was now the past. Her three children, looking to be in their twenties or thirties. Standing together, smiling.

And Alma swallowed as she clutched her slab and sat down on her bed.

How could she have gone so wrong?

No… He chose to leave. Brunito chose to leave…. He left his own family.

Alma kept reminding herself, hoping that soon this moment of weakness would pass. This sense of longing and dread of what had might happened to him.

No! Alma decided. Bruno was out there and doing just fine on his own, he had decided he didn't need them so he was doing fine! He would have come back if he wasn't doing fine... He didn't care! He left without a word. Like a coward in the night. Clearly Bruno didn't care about the family.

And so Alma stood up and put the damned prophecy back, hid it beneath her clothes as she hid her moments of weakness behind a stern facade.

No matter what... No matter what it took. Alma would not be weak... And she would never allow this family to break apart like it almost did after he left them! Without a single thought of how this might affect the family!

He was gone! And good riddance!

The next morning at the breakfast table. Mirabel was glancing around at her mother Julieta happily chatting with her father Agustin.

Auntie Pepa was breastfeeding the new baby. Little Antonio while waiting for Abuela Alma to arrive.

"Mama." Mirabel pulled in Julieta's sleeve earning her mother's attention.

"Yes, sweetheart." Julieta smiled kindly.

"I just… Didn't there used to be someone else sitting at the table too?" Mirabel asked.

Suddenly there was absolute quiet. Dead quiet from one moment to the next as everyone was looking at Mirabel.

Julieta swallowed. "What do you mean sweetheart?" she asked.

"There used to be a man. Right?" Mirabel asked. "And it's his door that doesn't actually light up… It's a bit away from the others. He used to be here right?"

Again there was stunned silence.

"Oh she means Bruno," Dolores commented.

"Mirabel!" Pepa suddenly snapped. "We don't talk about Bruno."

Mirabel blinked. "Why?" she asked. "He was here right? And then he wasn't? What happened?"

"Mirabel. Sweety." Julieta swallowed as she put a hand on her daughter's lap. "It's true you had a Tio Bruno but… We don't talk about it," she said. "Especially not when your Abuela is in the room."

Mirabel blinked deeply confused.

"Dear… You have to promise me." Julieta said. "When your Abuela is here. Don't talk about him. Can you do that for me?"

It ran cold up Mirabel's back. The way everyone was so quiet and took it so seriously. It made it all sound so scary and she nodded intimidated.

"Thank you, darling." Julieta kissed her beloved daughter on the forehead and Maribel swallowed.

That afternoon Mirabel looked at their family tree again. And there was a portrait of Bruno there. Standing between mother Julieta and Tia Pepa.

There was a door. Like the others had but it didn't light up like the others…. And it was boarded up. Tio Felix said it was very dangerous to go in there… So don't even try.

And don't talk about Bruno….. That was the rule. Don't ask about him. Don't say his name just… Don't talk about him.