[DISCONTINUED] (Read desc)

Kid

•~=(Your POV)=~•

"Trying to cross the bridge without proper entry, fleeing an officer, falsifying a unibrow-"

"That's illegal?"

"Very."

You and Hector are in an office, talking to a parol officer. He's sitting down and getting marigold petals out of his head while you're leaning against the wall, making sure your duct tape sticks and covers your leg.

"You need to clean up your act, amigo," the officer says while your best friend screws his head back on. After realizing what he said, Hector plays innocent. "Amigo? Well, that's really kind of you to say! I've had a really hard Dia de las Muertos, and I could really use an amigo right now," he says, and you look up. Leaning forward, you slap his shoulder with the back of your hand. "Hey! Then what am I, chopped liver?"

"Oh right. I forgot you were there. Apologies, mi palomita," he replies, and you roll your eyes. Finishing messing with the tape, you stand back up and stretch. "I'm hungry. You want a churro?" you ask, and he nods. Walking out the door, you turn through the short hallway and go past a flight of stairs.

You look around and spot a churro cart parked on the other side of the building. "Excuse me. Sorry. Coming through," you mumble, pushing yourself through a little crowd. After you get a little closer, you sit down on another flight of steps and take off your hands. You'd pay for the food, but you don't have any money. And this way is much more fun.

Controlling your hands from a distance, they crawl like spiders, but wobble a bit from time to time. You still need to get a hang of - whatever Hector does. They come up to the cart and go up the sides, hiding behind different items. One grabs a churro when the guy bends down, and tosses it to the other hand. Then the second one jumps off the cart and carries it to you, while the first struggles with the second churro. It drops the sweet, and the guy looks up. "Hm?" He looks around, then back down to find the wasted treat. "¡Dios mios!" he groans, picking it up. While he picks it up, the first hand grabs another and jumps down, rolling to avoid scraping the knuckles.

They both get back to you, and you pump your arm. "ʻAe ʻae ʻae!" you whisper, standing up and putting your hands back on. Yet once you do, you come face to face with an officer. "Oh, hi there," you say, grinning guiltily. He gives you a 'really' expression, and holds out his hand. Sighing, you put one churro in his hand, then jog off into the crowd. He looks around, trying to find you, then gives up and eats the stolen good.

Once you've lost him, you walk back to the little hallway. "Ku'uipo! I've got one! I had to give the other to an officer to escape, but I'll share," you call out, to no answer. You roll your eyes. "Hector! Okay, if you don't want it, I'll it eat all."

Silence.

"This i-isn't funny, omoomo ule," you curse, breathing heavier by the minute.

The darkness is engulfing, and you back up into a wall, clutching your snack. Shadows dance across the wall, making demonic shapes and faces. You feel significantly colder, like you jumped into a pool in the middle of winter. Soul pounding, you can't help but let hot tears slide down your face from sheer dread and panic.

Flashes of your death cross your eyes.

Gun. Sunglasses.

Phone on the ground. Gunshot.

Pain. Blood. Choking. Darkness.

I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH. I CAN'T BREATH.

I can't-

A door flies open, "Okay, here's what we're gonna-"

You screech in terror, pointing the churro at the noise like a sword. A taller skeleton and a small human scream back, and it takes you a second to realize that it's Hector. You stop shouting, but still hold the snack out, shaking so hard it almost falls out of your hands. The boy stops screaming as soon as you do, but it takes your best friend a little longer. After he realizes that no one is yelling anymore, he straightens out his posture and clears his throat. "Well, you gave us quite a scare there, mi palom- hey, are you crying?" he asks, noticing the tear stains on your face. He's genuinely concerned, and reaches out for your hand.

Realizing that he saw, you quickly wipe them off onto your sleeve. "N-No, I just, u-uh... Splashed water on my face! Yep, totally. I went to the water fountain and got a drink, but the faucet was broke and it got me," you say, quickly thinking of a lie. Hector doesn't look convinced, but the young boy cuts in. "Hey! I don't have much time here," he says, and you finally notice the human.

"Oh hey, a human. Haven't seen one for a while," you say, bending down to his eye level. He just looks at you, dumbfounded. "What? Do I have something on my face? I'd ask if you'd never seen a skeleton before, but that'd be a pretty dumb question since you're here," you smirk, and he shakes his head, snapping out of it. "Oh, no, you don't. You're just the first one to be cool about seeing a human," he explains, and you smile sheepishly. "Well, I didn't die too long ago. And I'm (Y/N), by the way."

"Miguel. I asked your friend..."

"Hector!" your tall companion butts in, annoyed at your suaveness with the new kid. "Yeah, I asked Hector if he could get me to my great-great-grandpa, Ernesto de la Cruz, so I can get his blessing to go home and he said he had a plan," Miguel explains, and you look up at Hector. He just shrugs and smiles guiltily. "He did, huh?" you say, and the boy nods. "Well, I guess I better go with you to keep him outta trouble. And here, you might want this more than I do," you say, handing him the churro.

Miguel smiles and scarfs it down, making it clear that he hadn't eaten yet. You stand up and brush yourself off, then put your hands on your hips and look at Hector. "Listen! I've got a great plan. If I get this kid home, he can put my picture on the ofrenda!" he whispers, and you roll your eyes. "You're super obsessed with this Coco lady, aren't you? What is she, your lost horse?" you tease, and he looks away.

"She's my daughter."

You gasp, and reach for his shoulder. "Aiâ! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it-" you whisper, desperately trying to take it back. He chuckles. "I know. You don't know my past, and I have no knowledge of yours. Maybe that'll change sometime. Maybe today," he says, and it's your turn to look away.

A cough makes the both of you look towards Miguel, signaling that he's done and waiting. "C'mon! I don't have all day!" he says, and is about to run out when you grab his collar. "Ho'omanawanui! You still look like a human. But I think I know how to fix that. Hector, you still got that weird makeup package?" you ask, and he nods, now understanding.

"Oh yeah! Let's go, I know just the place," he answers, leading you two out the back way.