Outside the Encanto

To Mourn a Lost One

A/n: Regarding the last chapter, I had to google some very strange things, so if you're my FBI agent, I apologize. Second, a word of advice to all my readers, DO NOT under any circumstance google what a body looks like after a month and a half of death. It's not a pretty sight. Love you all!

You and Mirabel each hold one of Antonio's hands, and swing him from time to time. Each time he giggles is like a needle poking at you, reminding you of another thing you would do with Maria.

"Camilo!" Antonio shouts, spotting his brother in a busy workplace up ahead, running over to him. You slow down, putting your arm out to stop Mirabel.

You turn to face her, embarrassed about your previous actions.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you like that, it wasn't right. You didn't know what was there, and I honestly should've told you beforehand." You apologize, crossing your arms and looking down.

"Oh my gosh, it's totally okay. I mean yeah I didn't know, but you did specifically say elder relatives. I should've just listened to that." Mirabel pats your shoulder.

"No really, I'm sorry. Race you to the boys!" You tag her, then sprint away.

"Get back here you cheater!" You hear her shout, several paces behind you already.

....................................................................................

The adults don't return until dinner. You're in the middle of laughing with Mirabel, Camilo, Antonio, Cisco, and Arithra. You hadn't seen Ciscos little sister for a while, so you're glad you could catch up.

You purposefully didn't tell Camilo or Antonio about what was so horrifying. Mirabel understood the cue, and stayed silent.

A hush falls over the table as everyone sits. You glance between the newcomers, waiting for someone to say something. Anything.

Finally, Bruno breaks the silence. "Dolores has been found. Dead." Camilo and Antonio gasp, while you and Mirabel begin crying.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Camilo tears up, holding his sobbing brother close.

"We didn't know until today when Y/n and Mirabel found her." Bruno looks over at you, awaiting a word.

You stare back at him, as if expecting more information.

"Uhm well, it looked like she'd been dead for a while before we found her." Bruno continues, all eyes focusing on him. "Y/n, what were you doing the moment you unburied her?"

"Uhm.. I mean I was unburying her when I was unburying her." You gulp.

"I meant before that."

"Mirabel was showing me around the newly formed Encanto. I just saw her hand, well, I didn't know it was a hand at the time, but I guess I just knew something was wrong. Honestly I just wanted to eat the rocks." You shrug, realizing how stupid you sound. You take a bite of dinner and look up, daring anyone to question you.

Julieta hurriedly sits down, slamming her dinner on the table. She's drenched in sweat from head to toe, although her hands are dry and clean.

"Amor! So glad to see you, how's work-" Augustine cuts off.

"Work is fine. I've got 10 minutes to eat, so just fill me in on everything." Julieta practically inhales her soup and arepas.

"Well, Amor, we were just missing you." Augustine leans over to kiss her on the cheek, right as she picks up her bright red soup. He accidentally falls over, knocking the soup onto her lap, staining her skirt. He pulls back up, half of his face red from the spill.

"Augh!" Julieta cries, looking at the spill in shock and disgust.

"I'm sorry Julie, I didn't mean to-"

"Forget it, Augustine. I have to go anyway." Julieta rises, rushing away with tears in her eyes.

"Julie! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that!" Augustine runs after her after grabbing a few more arepas. "In case she's still hungry."

"You never mean to do anything! Grow up or stay out of my way!" Julieta shouts from the distance.

Isabella and Luisa slip into their parents empty seats.

"Hey, I think they're making progress." Isabella shakes her head. She looks around at the somber faces at the table. "Come on guys, you look like someone died."

Everyone's eyes shoot up immediately to her. Pepa breaks out in tears, mourning the loss of her daughter. Isabella's face contorts into several different emotions, none of which you can understand.

"Did uhm.. someone die?" Luisa asks, flinching at the question.

Nobody spoke, while Pepa just burst out in another racket of sobs. Her tears dripped down onto her dress, her face turning red, clashing with her hair.

"Dolores." Felix finally says, shaking his head and comforting his wife.

Isabella and Luisa gasp, shedding tears of their own in their newfound grief. Everyone knew, truly, in their hearts that Dolores was dead, but feeling and seeing are different.

"I.. I'm gonna go back to my room." You rise, wanting to leave the family with their grief. You may be a close friend, but even you know this is a family moment.

You let the walk to your room take a while, but once you're there, you're surprised to see Julieta checking another patient. She's in a full blown hazmat suit, strapping down a young woman with ties on a stretcher. You quickly swing the door near shut, peeking through the crack.

"What are you doing?!" The woman panics, struggling against the straps.

"It's protocol, you're getting better. We just want to move you to another wing, and we don't want you walking. It's just to make sure you don't fall off." Julieta explains, although you sense a false tone in her voice.

"Oh, that's great!" The woman smiles, as Julieta moves her into a stretcher. Another medic, a man, helps lift her. They begin to wheel her towards the door, and you quickly hide behind a wall.

You peer around the corner as you hear the door open, and they come towards you. You causally walk out, passing them as if you have better things to do.

You catch a glimpse of the woman, and nearly passed out. You stumble onto your bed, clutching the sheets as the room around you spins. You concentrate on breathing, closing your eyes until when you open, everything is stationary.

You climb into bed, terrified by what you'd seen.

The woman, so innocent in retrospect. Healing well, like Julieta said.

Black Mariposa tattoos covering her face.