𝔸 𝔽𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕄𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕝𝕖

Chapter 3

It didn't take as long as Camilo thought it would to finish up the job. Using his good hand, he managed to finish it in only a few minutes. Still, his hand still hurt and he desperately needed to see Julieta. Running through the buzzing streets of Encanto Camilo tried to turn into a little boy he'd once seen to not attract so much attention. It worked at first people telling him to get out of their way. He ran under a cart and jumped over a tree stump that was blocking the footpath. Hopefully Isabella would deal with that soon. 

As he rounded  another street, still running he heard a shout. 

"Hey look! It's Camilo! He's even pretending to be me!"

Camilo's heart sank as he saw the little boys eyes trained on him in awe, as well as the rest of the  streets. Crossing his arms and rolling his eyes, Camilo turned back into his original form. 

"Sorry I'm just trying to get somewhere, if anyone needs my help I'll be back in later."

But it was too late. Already, the street was swarming around him, asking if they could do favours for him or the opposite way around. 

"Hey Camilo, do you want some help with that drain?" Paul asked, lifting up one of his tools as if to show him he was all prepared. 

"No, I already did it," Camilo answered quickly as he was bombarded with more questions. 

"Hey Camilo, can you get my kite down from the tree?"

"Sorry I gotta go somewhere man, maybe later."

"Camilo! Can you help with the decorations? Joes the only one tall enough to reach."

"Maybe later!" Camilo answered as he pushed his way through the crowd. 

"Could you help with my decorations as well?"

"Later!" Camilo finally managed to break through the crowd as was about to run back to the Casita when someone called out to him. 

"Hey Camilo, is your hand okay? Why are you holding a red leaf over it?"

Camilo stopped and looked down at the leaf he'd put over the wound to soak up the blood. Already it had leaked through and was dripping scarlet blood. He turned back and tried to give the person a reassuring smile. 

"Yeah, it's fine. Just need it for some decorations, I'll be back soon."

Finally managing to get away from everyone, Camilo ran down the streets and finally managed to get to Casita. He ran into Maria, the mother whose baby he regularly looked after and promised her that he'd be back to her soon on the way but now he finally had peace and quiet. 

Panting after the run, he walked through Casitas open doors and and groaned. There was a line of injured people starting at the kitchen and stretching all over the house. He knew he couldn't wait that long to get healed, it would be dusk by the time he was fed one arepa con queso! 

Deciding he needed to go back out quickly, Camilo ran up to the top of the line where Julieta was in the kitchen, beside an overflowing basket of food. She gave the person at the front of the line a piece of food and as soon as they ate it, their arm popped back into place. 

Julieta looked at Camilo who quickly took someone's spot at the top of the line. 

She sighed. "Camilo, you have to go to the back of the line, there's other people waiting!"

Camilo smiled slyly and turned into Abuela. "But Julieta darling! If you don't heal Camilo now he won't be able to get back into the town in enough time! Then all the villagers will be wondering where Camilo went, he has chores to do! They need his help today especially, lots of decorations to put up!" He imitated Abuela's voice as best as he could. 

Julieta smiled. "Okay, what did you do this time? Did Dolores just elbow you again?"

Camilo grinned. "No! That hurts way more!" He said sarcastically as he took of the leaf and showed her his bloody hand. 

Julieta shook her head. "I don't even want to ask how you got that," she said as she handed him a piece of bread. 

Camilo took it gratefully and stuffed it into his mouth. Instantly his hand felt better and he grinned. 

"Thanks!" He yelled at Julieta as he went back into town. There were much more chores to do...

                                                                                           *

Camilo gratefully walked back into Casita and pressed his back to the top of the stairwell. Between cleaning a drain, going to Julieta, getting a kite down from a tree, thankfully accepting a plate of food for lunch, helping Maria with her baby and helping with several decorations, it had been a long day. At least more people were helping him more now though, ever since Mirabelle had saved the miracle, the village had helped them more instead of making them do it by themselves. The pressure had been too much, especially for Luisa. Now, it made it easier for all of them. 

Frowning, Camilo remembered the butterfly he'd seen in the tunnel, something about it still gave him the shivers all over. Was that what had given him that wound? Had the butterfly somehow done that? Camilo shook his head, no, surely that wasn't possible. What harm could a little insect like that do?

Seeing Abuela walk into the room, Camilo started walking towards her. He should probably tell her about what had happened, after all she should know if any threat might linger around the town - she was the one who was gifted with this Encanto. 

As Camilo walked towards her, Abuela noticed him. 

"Is everything okay Camilo? You did an excellent job in town today!"

Camilo's heart lifted. At least Abuela was giving out compliments now, it was as if she realised how hard they were working all of a sudden. 

"Thanks! It's just..." Camilo suddenly remembered that this was urgent, he shouldn't be thinking about compliments. "I need to talk with you."

Abuela's face creased with worry when she heard the urgency in his voice. "Come with me."