Worth The Shot

Planned Strike

Today's fanart is by @shinow0 ! It's the scene from Buried Breakout where Camilo convinces (y/n) to leave without him. I'm IN LOVE with Camilo's eyebrows and his white shirt!!! Shinow0, you're SO talented!

BACK TO THE STORY

"The village is in rebellion."

"What?" You gaped, incredulously staring at Alma. "Against you? Why?" It didn't make sense. Why would they rebel against the family who had provided for and protected them?

"Because we found this," Augustin delicately lifted a folded napkin from his pocket. He unwrapped the red parcel, revealing a single, pale arepa.

"One of Julieta's arepas," You breathed, reverently leaning over it. If she had created the bread before leaving, a single bite could magically cure anything.

"It was in his room," Alma sniffed, a spiteful sting souring her voice as she narrowed her eyes at Bruno. Bruno ducked his head, wordlessly glaring at the floor with suppressed anger. If he had been braver, he would have snapped at Alma's jab.

"How did one little arepa start a riot?" You wondered, bewildered. A minuscule half-circle had been bitten out of the arepa. Your eyes hopefully flitted to Antonio. "You healed Antonio?" Antonio balanced on his toes with a shy smile.

"I'm all better now," he cheerfully whispered, giggling as a friendly rat skittered across his shoulders. You smiled back. Finally, some good news.

Camilo needs to hear that. You thought, hugging your arms together. Maybe he'd stop beating himself up about it.

"When word spread that we'd healed our Tonito," Alma continued, frowning as she quickly refolded the napkin. "Many villagers suspected us of selfishly hiding our gifts for ourselves."

"They threw bricks in Casita's windows," Mariano added in a deep voice. "Guarded Casita's entrances." A seriousness shadowed his expression, his eyebrows sinking thoughtfully.

Dolores released a tiny, breathy sigh. Her eyes, fondling Mariano, glowed with something strange, forbidden. You quickly glanced away, feeling as if you'd witnessed an embarrassing crime.

She shouldn't be looking at Mariano like that. Not with her betrothed sister missing. That's not fair to Isabela.

"Not the entire village," Augustin pointed out, brushing a finger over his mustache. "Only a few people were the aggressors."

"Still, we'll never get out of here unnoticed," Mirabel complained, crossing her arms. Her eyes flashed creatively. "We need a distraction. Antonio, could you summon a swarm of animals to annoy the guards?"

"But what if they get hurt?" Antonio worried, his lip quivering. "Will they try to hurt the animals?"

"It's a hard decision to make," Felix acknowledged, bending down to hold Antonio's gaze. "But how else will we save our family? Ask the animals if they'd be willing to help."

"Okay, Papi," Antonio hesitantly agreed. "But I can only summon the animals; I can't talk to them from far away."

"Perfect," Mirabel determinedly nodded, shooting Antonio a thumbs up. "How will we avoid the guards in the tunnels?" Her eyes energetically swept the family, begging for input.

"I can hear them coming," Dolores suggested, guiltily prying her stare away from her daydream. "We can avoid them."

"But even if we avoid the guards, the old man could crush us. With chains, with falling rocks, with the mountain itself," you doubtfully worried, painfully holding your chained hands up like evidence. "If he catches us, it's over."

"You're a genius, (y/n)!" Mirabel declared, half-grinning with an idea.

"Thanks," you shrugged, laughingly frowning at her. "What's your plan?"

"We use the moonstone!" She excitedly explained, gesturing to Alma's necklace. Alma stiffened. "If we can hold it to his body, he's nothing but an old man! No powers!"

"Genius! My niece is also a genius!" Felix announced, scooping Mirabel into a bear hug. She beamed, surprised by the attention.

Suddenly, the candles dimmed, as if a frosty wind had whisked over their weak, teardrop flames. Casita groaned like an injured dog. Uneasily, you and Mirabel nervously widened your eyes at each other.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Dolores, Bruno, and Antonio doubled over in pain, gasping and dropping to the ground. Antonio started to cry.

Dolores gritted her teeth and gripped her head, as if seized by an intense migraine.

Bruno uncontrollably shook on his hands and knees, breathing heavily and releasing tiny whimpers.

What's wrong? What's happening to them?