dominoes | an encanto angst au

in the eyes of bruno madrigal

*Bruno's POV*

It was that summer solstice evening, and I had approached two boys around my age. I asked them if they wanted to know who their love will be, and they agreed. I had brought them to my vision cave, and started the physically demanding ritual that I have to do to see my visions. The bespectacled guy agreed to come first.

I was surprised by what I saw in the vision. I saw a woman who resembled my sister Julieta, but she looked so much older. The boy introduced himself as Agustin.

I then started the preparations, sand and leaves. The shorter guy came in next, and then, I was again surprised by what I saw. The woman looked like my sister Pepa, but this time she aged up, and wore large earrings. The guy introduced himself as Felix.

I asked myself, would they be the ones who would marry my sisters? It looked like they would.

They left, and I decided that it was my turn.

I then prepared for the ritual, and calmed myself down. Show me my love, I silently said to myself.

I then lit the leaves, and it started my vision.

I saw a curly haired woman with short hair with round glasses with a skirt like the older girls at the town wore, but she resembled Julieta. The vision showed the woman chasing probably an older version of me through a cramped wall, and I had so many questions. Why am I running away from her? Why does she chase me? Then, the vision showed that she almost fell through a hole, and caught her. I didn't fully understand the vision, as the woman might be my future niece, or an enemy.

...

30 years later, I watched Mirabel's failed gift ceremony. I saw the frustrated look on my mother's face. I saw the sadness on my sister's face. Mama begged me to look into the future, as she feared that the magic is in danger.

I then agreed, and I saw the same woman from the vision 30 years ago, this time, not chasing me, but standing in front of a Casita full of cracks. 

"Ay, mierda," I swore under my breath.

I then destroyed the vision, and decided to leave, but I considered staying hidden in the Encanto, as the mountains are too hard for me to hike out of. I then saw Casita open a hole behind a painting, waving the painting. I entered the hole and was greeted by a cramped wall. I now called that place home.

...

10 years later, living like this has become my norm. Living with rats, entertaining myself using Hernando and Jorge as my alter egos, my telenovelas...all of it has been a part of my life.

Then one day, when Isabela's proposal failed, and Abuela found out about the vision, everything was chaotic, and was in shambles. Then, somehow, Mirabel found my hideout. She chased and parkoured after me, and I tried to remain faster than her, but somehow...

"You're very sweaty," I said after I caught her before falling.

Then she was too sweaty, and we slipped. She managed to get on a branch. Then she saw the rat in my ruana pop out, and she let go of me.

The floor was just a few centimetres from my feet. I then cleared out the dust. We went back up and I said bye.

I then explained everything to her, because she kept on insisting on an explanation. I also gave her another vision, as she also insisted on it.

Then you know what happened, she and Isabela talked, Abuela confronted her, the house fell to bits...and...and she...she died because the large piece of wall crushed her. Then, Julieta...well...she killed...she killed herself.

During those times, time was not passing, it was circling, slowing down every second. It increases the pain, the torture their losses caused.

But there was the thing, I got too emotionally attached to my own niece whom I first had a vision about 40 years ago. I wish I died instead of her. I met her again, but it was the wrong place, the wrong time.

It became clear now, Mirabel appeared before me in that vision 4 decades ago because of my thirst and longing for love, love from my family, and the same respect the rest of them get from the townspeople. Mirabel in that vision represented my yearning for the halt of my ridiculement. My longing for someone to just accept my visions, and not face ridiculement. My longing who just wants to accept me for my gift. She said that I didn't make bad things happen, and that warmed my heart during that moment.

She was the first one who didn't think that I'm bad luck, or my visions are bad. I'm sorry for giving in to your request for the vision. I'm sorry for killing you.

I ultimately left, because I cannot carry the emotional burden her death brought about to me, to my sister and my brother-in-law, and to Isabela and Luisa. I hated myself for giving in to giving her the vision.

I wish she was still alive. I wanted to die when she died. I want to die but I can't, the family even can't take Julieta's death. If I just had a minute of reconciliation and fixing wounds and scars with Julieta and Pepa, that would mean the world to me, it would equal the 50 years of us being triplets, but I suppose they do not want to see me now.

"His hair has gone grey, he passes everyday, they say he walks the length of the city."