Book 1- The Outsider to Encanto

Chapter Six: Returned

CONTENT WARNING: Sexual assault and mild violence. I DIDN'T INTEND FOR IT TO HAPPEN, I DIDN'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN BUT THE CHARACTERS GOT AWAY FROM ME AND I APOLOGISE PROFUSELY.

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Catherine awoke from a dream about the quiet man with an adorably large nose. And for the life of her, she couldn't remember his name.

Catherine took a steady breath, acknowledging that it was for the best. It was best for the encanto if she forgot all about it.

And yes, she found herself getting out the painting she did of the house. Catherine had been intending to burn it, in the moment, but once she was looking at Casita she couldn't bring herself to light the candle.

She had only been there for such a short time, and she had spent more than half her time there feeling absolutely terrified for her life. Casita, the encanto, and the Madrigals had found a place deep in her heart and she couldn't fully realise it.

And yet, as much as she wanted to see them again, Dolores, Camilo... Antonio... the man with the large nose... as much as she wanted to eat another Madirgal arepa... she knew she never would again. So she closed the sketchbook and to help her heart, she dressed in clothes unfitting for Colombia, clothes she'd wear if she were still in her home country.

Anything to get her head away from the town hiding in the mountains.

She tried, no one could deny that. She even did tourist things that she hadn't planned on doing, by the end of the day, Mr Ralph had noticed something was wrong

"Miss Brown?" he said over the evening tea. "You've been distracted today. Did something go wrong?"

Catherine didn't hear him. Her mind was far away, behind the mountains. She couldn't remember the name of the woman with a big frame, or what Dolores looked like. A day of distracting herself had done too much. Her memory was fading and though it made her happy that no one would ever learn of the magical village, it hurt that she too wasn't going to remember.

Catherine retreated to the balcony with the best view of the cracked mountain. She had grabbed her art book and pencils and quickly tried to sketch out whatever she could remember.

"Miss Brown?"

Mr John Ralph walked into Catherine's room, concerned for the woman he was supposed to be helping for the university.

He had never seen her do her artwork before. She had been sent to study and explore the Colombian country, but as far as he was aware, she hadn't done anything relating to her studies, instead, she had just drawn, or painted, and explored.

She had been gone for four days. He had thought her lost, or dead, or both. And yet, he wasn't blind, he could tell something had happened during those four days. And he really didn't want to have to tell the school about it.

He had never pretended to understand why the university sent an older woman, not a young student, to Colombia but when he had heard, and that she had no martial or family connections tying her home, he had blindly hoped.

"Miss Brown, did something happen while you were exploring Colombia?" he asked.

She didn't answer, she just kept drawing.

"Miss Brown?"

Catherine could hear him. She was just choosing to ignore him now, focusing on her art.

"Catherine-"

He grabbed her shoulder to turn her to face him. She dropped the pencil and it rolled off the balcony.