Outside the Encanto

Goodbye, My Love

Shivers ran down the spines of the L/n family. They knew of Dario's innocence, and cried out in outrage. An appeal was out through motion, but the court found him guilty once again. The town was shocked, they knew Dario couldn't have murdered him. Few people knew of Dario's conviction and sentence, consisting of only the Madrigal adults, judge, jury, and L/n family adults. No children were aloud at the trial.

Dario looked up at his family, shocked, only to see Farga stand and rush towards the judge.

Alma did not rise, showed no emotion in her eyes. "Sit down, Mrs. L/n."

"I will not sit down! Because.. because.." she looked away towards Dario, making eye contact. She inhaled and looked back at Alma.

"Because I killed Evita."

You fall into full sprint towards La Casa Madrigal, terrified for your new friends punishment. Townspeople whisper and stare, but this time, you pay no mind. You jump over and through the fountain, drenching your skirt in freezing water. You trip, landing directly onto your chest.

The wind is knocked out of your chest. You flip onto your back, struggling to breathe. Forcing yourself up, you pick up your sprint at full power, although your pain level has intensified near your ribs.

The crowd suddenly splits in two, not soon enough for you to take in the crack crossing in your direct path. It opens too quickly beneath your feet and you fall in, hanging on by an unstable root that's bound to break.

"Someone help!" You scream, your breathing labored and heavy. Dirt falls into your eyes, making your eyes water and vision go blurry. You spit out a mixture of saliva and mud, gasping.

I know they hate me. I know, I know, I know. But they wouldn't let me die, would they? You desperately think, trying to hold on to any shred of hope.

Your hands begin to sweat, lacing your palms with the slippery substance. You sink lower and lower, although the root is pulling out of the ground, unable to hold the weight of a human being.

"Help!" You make one last desperate shriek, expecting to fall to your death as the crack amplifies beneath you.

A hand shoots out and grabs your arm, easily pulling you out of the dark abyss. You help pull yourself up, letting out a small gasp of pain. Your left side hurts immensely now, like you'd been stabbed.

You turn to thank the person who helped you, seeing a man with broad shoulders and chest. You tilt your head upwards and come to find this man is none other than Mariano Guzman.

"Thank you." You praise, surprised he would save you. There's bound to be a threatening message coming, but you're just glad you haven't died.

"Of course, are you alright?" Mariano asks, carefully examining you. He stays respectful though, and makes eye contact with you afterwards.

"Yeah, I'm alright- no really, I'm good." You plead, although he tries to protest. "Thank you."

"Take care, alright?" He nods, before half running to assist his mother. He offers her his arm as she walks, and she gratefully takes it. The amount of love given off by these two is strangely beautiful. It normally would've made you sick.

You continue your race to La Casa Madrigal, wincing and holding your side. Your just about to open the door when they burst open, shooting out the Madrigals towards you. You manage to dodge a few, but in an attempt to dodge Augustine, Pepa slams into you, knocking you both to the ground.

"Aaugh!" You scream, clutching your left side like a lifeline. Pepa scrambles off of you, harshly pulling you up.

"Oh please, it didn't hurt that bad." Pepa scoffs. Her eyes pierce your soul, as if searching for an answer. Like a philosopher finding the secrets to purity and morality, she never seems to stop searching for that answer.

"Mirabel!" Julieta screams, trying to renter Casita. She, along with Augustine, pound on the door, but continue to be thrown back onto the earth, only to fall into a circle of wasted effort.

You look around the group, realizing Mirabel is missing. Your eyes flicker all around you, until they land on her desperate parents.

Of course.

"Mirabel!" You shriek, joining in the banging. After a few seconds you know the effort is futile, and search for an alternative. Your solution lies with the already cracked rubble, making a perfect climbing wall.

You place your hands onto the wall, getting a good grip inside the cracks. You hoist yourself up, and fall back from the pain ripping through your side. You gasp for air, only to see Luisa watching you. She immediately comes to your side, lifting you onto her shoulders. She grits her teeth, about to buckle from the effort.

"Luisa, you've got this! You are strong enough! You always have been!" You shout, getting a better hold on the wall, determined not to let go.

"Bring my sister back to me." She begs, as you make your final hoist onto Casitas crumbling roof.

You signal an okay to her, before scanning for Mirabel. Your eyes swiftly find your target, who is struggling to reach the dying miracle candle. You use your fire to propel yourself towards her.

In a flash, the fire flickers and fades. You fall a good twenty feet, landing directly onto your ankle. You hear a sickening popping sound coming from the impact.

"Y/n!" You hear a shout, gazing up to see Mirabel running towards you. You hobble towards her, trying to reach her, protect her.

Casitas walls begin crumbling, forms a barrier around Mirabel, which she swiftly slides into. Bending over the candle, she squints her eyes towards you, fear in her eyes.

You prepare to make your own shelter, with only seconds to spare. Only then, a second voice cries out.

"Y/n, help me!"

You turn to see Maria, standing directly below several walls, bound to fall in seconds with debris and suffocating soot.

You don't matter anymore. You shift the pattern of earth and house matter towards Maria, overtaken by a frenzy to keep her safe.

You knew it wouldn't reach her in time.

But you still tried.

That hope, that faith, was shattered, as the darkness overtook you, blinding you from the disaster, from Maria, from reality.