Everything (Nothing) Keeps us Apart (Bruno Madrigal/ Original Character)

Chapter 7

Cassidy watched as person upon person lines up across the town, waiting to be able to enter the Madrigal household. Dozens of people who wanted visions from Bruno, no doubt. It was too coincidental, Bruno saying that he would begin to do visions for the town and then a line the next day? She couldn't help but feel bad for him, she didn't know if his visions were really hard to do, but even the fact that he avoided doing them told her that he didn't like it.

It wasn't fair for him. None of this was.

Cassidy sighed and turned away from the window, sitting down on her bed, glancing at the locked door. Her art supplies had been taken out of her room, as a punishment for what she said to Bruno's mother. She had to stay in her room for the day, with no paint or visitors. Her parents thought that it would be torture, but Cassidy knew that she was going to be okay. This wasn't the first time she wasn't allowed to leave her room. But, it was the first time that she didn't have her paints. So, she was getting quite bored, which was an open invitation for her mind to wander.

She frowned as yet another member of the Encanto stormed by her house, holding a green, glowing tablet, face flushed with anger. He was the fourth one today, and it wasn't even noon. Either Bruno didn't control what he showed others, or he wanted to ruin a lot of people's days. Cassidy wasn't sure which was better.

She couldn't wait to get out of her room. That way she could try and understand why everyone was getting bad visions, and maybe she could help Bruno with whatever he needed.

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It was the second day of visions, and Bruno was exhausted. He had gotten no sleep the night before, being plagued with nightmares of what he saw the previous day, with very little food in his stomach. He had puked up his supper from the night before, despite Julieta's healing food, and couldn't stomach any more.

Today he had already given out at least a dozen visions, leading to a never ending feeling of dizziness and shaky limbs. Bruno had given up standing and greeting the townspeople, it required too much effort to get up and sit back down.

He didn't understand why so many people wanted to see their futures. None of them liked what they saw, ending in shattered green tablets, angry faces, loud yells of displeasure. Bruno knew that everyone hated him, and wished that they could just understand that he didn't control what happened. He could only get a glimpse, like watching a life unfold from the sidelines. He couldn't change it if he tried.

Vision after vision passed by his eyes, person after person angry at the outcome. In between visions, Bruno held his head and felt like it was going to burst open, his eyesight going blurry as he looked at the green sand flying around him. He gave up trying to interpret them, instead handed the tablet to the customer, much to their frustration. But all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep.

He wasn't sure when his nose started to bleed. He tried to wipe it away with his ruana, yet more and more came with every vision. He found himself battling exhaustion, keeping up a clean appearance, and using his gift over and over again.

Bruno had no clue how he was supposed to do this for the rest of his life. He knew he had to. For the Encanto, to help the people, to make the Miracle worth it, and to make his mother proud.

But Bruno didn't want to. He wasn't thankful for his powers, and no one else was either. They hurt him, he just wanted to stop.

Bruno handed a green tablet displaying a dead fish to the woman who had come in, muttering his apologies. The woman's face was horrified at the sight, and, after quickly slapping his face, stormed out of the room in a rush, tears in her eyes.

He let himself fall back down to the sandy floor, tears of pain falling down his cheeks. He was going to pass out soon. He knew it.

A soft knock echoed from his door, signaling that another person was waiting to have a vision. Bruno grounded and sat back up, rubbing his eyes.