I Want You (Encanto)

36

Dolores was barely managing to breathe. Her unconscious state only made the family more anxious. Camilo and Bruno entered her room behind Antonio, catching the attention of the others.

"Where's Luisa?" Augustine inquired.

"And where is Mirabel?" Alma added.

Bruno and his nephew sighed, looking at each other before they opened their mouths to speak."Mirabel is...gone." Bruno starts. There is silence for a moment.

"What do you mean gone?" Augustin spits impatiently.

"She went to look for Julieta, so Luisa went to look for her."

"Why didn't you stop them?!" Pepa exclaimed.

"Mirabel just kinda...disappeared! I would've stopped her if I knew she was going to leave!" Camilo defended himself."If she's in any trouble, Luisa can handle it."

"Great. Now that's one more thing to worry about!" Pepa began pacing back and forth."My sister is missing, my child is dying, now my nieces are gone-"

"Pepi, please. We must remain calm. Panicking will solve nothing." Felix gently rubbed her shoulders. A gesture that would normally made her cloud go away had no affect this time. She wanted to calm down. She wanted the rain to stop. She wanted this horrible nightmare to be over. But no matter how badly she wanted it, there was no easy way out.

Her breathing didn't slow. The wind picked up around them, moving their hair around wildly. Seeing as there was nothing more they could do for Dolores at the moment, Alma left her room to find the answer elsewhere.

Felix grabbed Camilo's arm and yanked him to the side."What the hell is going on?"

"How should I know? I'm not doing it!" He spat back. The accusing tone from his father made him angry. The remaining Madrigals looked up, hearing a sound coming from outside.

"Papi, what is that?" Antonio asked.

*Bang*

*Scratch*

It sounded as if claws were colliding with the front door. Scared whimpering and whining could be heard from the other side as well. Without warning, Antonio ran to open the door. Felix chased after him but was too late.

The door swung open and in came the jaguar, running for his life as if the devil himself was chasing behind. He hid behind Felix, trembling and dripping with cold rain.

"You're back!" Antonio happily ran to his friend disregarding his wet and smelly state and hugging him close, nuzzling their noses together.

"Uh, dad-" Camilo points to the door, tapping his father's shoulder. The citizens of their Encanto were marching up the hill to their house, carrying weapons.

"As if today couldn't get any worse." Felix muttered.

"Tio!" Isabella yelled from upstairs."Something just hit the house!"

Chanting could be made out through the thunder and harsh rain."Down with the witches."

"Witches?" Pepa gasped. The massive crowd grew closer but soon began to part like the red Sea and one, slightly shorter figure stepped through.

"No...please tell me this doesn't mean..." Bruno's heart raced as Enrique stepped forward.

"Hello, Madrigal family. Or should I say...witches!"

"Where did that come from?!" Augustin exclaimed. Felix stood beside him, the two men holding the women and children behind them.

"Don't act dumb. You've been plotting our demise from the very beginning. We've figured out your game, and we're here to put an end to it!" He responded. The people behind him looked uncertain.

"Where is my wife?!" Augustin stepped forward, leaving the threshold of the front door and stepping into the rain.

"She's fine...for now. I'd like to strike a deal with you." His eyes slowly panned over to Camilo.

"Give up the innocent soul you've taken, and I'll let your family go. An eye for an eye." He offers, holding up a pair of green, circular spectacle with cracked lenses.

"Give me back my daughter, you scoundrel!" Augustin shouted in terror.

"Your 'daughter'," he used air quotes."Is on the bridge between human and witch. Having been born into a family such as yours with no discernible abilities of her own. She can be saved. But it's far too late for the rest of you."

Some people of the crowd, agreed, while others remained silent.

"We are not witches! We're people just like you-" Pepa tried to argue, but Enrique cut them off.

"What people like us do you know who can sprout whatever poisonous plants from the earth that they like?! Or disguise themselves as someone else to gain trust?! Or change the weather at will?!" He earned cheers from the crowd, most came from the front.

"What's your stupid deal, Enrique?!" Camilo stepped forward, walking past his uncle Augustin."I've had enough of you messing with my family, and (Y/N)! She's done nothing to deserve this treatment from you!"

"Ah, yes, the beautiful, precious (Y/N). The girl you stole from me, using your witchcraft and trickery." The words he chose to use confused Augustin. But it became clear when Camilo remember their last conversation.

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"Sure, that's what you know. But us normal people, our imaginations can run wild when we don't know everything. Our minds can create fictitious scenarios that make sense according to what we do know. That's just human nature. We can be quite easily influenced to believe even the craziest of things."

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"You...you convinced these people that we're monsters..." He said breathlessly. Having heard his nephew's words, Augustin grew even angrier.

"They've done nothing but help this community, including you, and this is how you repay them?!" Felix was seething.

"You call this helping?" Enrique raises his hand to the sky, referring to the state of the weather.

"This is all your fault!" Pepa screamed.

Enrique simply shrugged.

•
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*Knock knock*

Angelo stood outside the old house that was slightly dilapidated and rustic looking.

Slow and fragile sounding footsteps approached the door and the knob squeaked as it turned."Oh, it's you!" A sweet old woman, hunched over and shaky, greeted him with a smile."My, how you've grown, Angelo. Come, come!" She beckoned him inside and shut the door behind him.

She offered him a seat in the dining room and hobbled to the counter."Now, where did I put that tea?"

Angelo could clearly see a pot of tea leaves sitting on the counter in front of her."Señora Garcia, I would like to ask you a question."

"Of course, uh...I'm sorry, what's your name again, kind sir?" She turned.

With a sigh, he answered,"Angelo."

"Oh, Angelo! How nice to see you again! It's been a while, hasn't it?" As if she'd just opened the door to see him for the first time, she greeted him all over again.

"Yes, Señora, but I'd like to ask you about Enrique."

The elderly woman froze."Who is...Oh, oh, Enrique. My boy."

"Miss, I am to believe that your grandson is...up to no good." He begins. Unfortunately, she'd gotten distracted."Where did I put that tea," she muttered a second time.

Angelo sighed.

This was gonna take a minute.