The stump of a candle .
Your lips parted in disbelief. The miracle candle. Your father had the miracle candle.
"Where did you get this?" You angrily whispered to your father. "What's going on?"
Horrified, your father ripped the candle from your fingers. "(Y/n), I need you to just head home for now," He commanded.
"Hurry home." The serpent man hissed, pressing a bony hand against your back. You shuddered.
Reluctantly, you decided not to protest. Even if you did, you doubted you'd get any more information than the classic, "wait a week."
You anxiously watched as they vanished behind a crumbling door of a small townhouse. Should I follow them? You hesitated, lingering by the door.
"(Y/n)!"
Mirabel's voice shattered your thoughts. She darted over to you and Antonio skittered after her, a colorful bird perched on his hand.
"Mirabel! Antonio!" You quickly hugged them, then stiffened and glanced at the door. You weren't supposed to talk to Madrigals.
Well, your dad wasn't here. And frankly you didn't care.
"I have so much to tell you," she urgently said. Antonio's bird squawked and she frowned. "Alone. Later."
Antonio wilted slightly and reached for her hand with pleading eyes. "Will you tell me later, Mirabel?"
"It's a lot of grown-up stuff," she admitted. "But I'll tell you a secret later." She winked and Antonio brightened. Mirabel nudged him and suggested, "Show (y/n) what we're doing."
"Abuela's birthday party. Next week," Antonio importantly informed you. He thrust a gold-glittered invitation into your hand. "Can you come?"
"Of course!" You grinned, gently ruffling his spiraled curls. My father can't keep me from that, you smugly thought. In a small village like Encanto, skipping any Madrigal event fueled gossip. Apparently, the last thing your father wanted was attention from the Madrigals.
"Yes!" Antonio cheered, beaming up at you. He tugged on Mirabel's hand and patiently reminded, "We have to go, Mirabel." She waved him on ahead, promising to catch up.
"Remember Bruno's prophecy?" She suddenly asked, then paused, gingerly selecting her words with an oddly guarded expression. "It showed the cracked house. And me."
You nodded. You had known that. "What else?" You uneasily said.
"What's going to destroy the house is-" she uncomfortably dropped her gaze.
"What?" You anxiously demanded, afraid you already knew the answer.
"You, (y/n)." She burst, avoiding eye contact. "You and your father."
"What-" you shook your head vehemently, desperately fumbling to reject her claim. "I would never hurt your family, Mirabel, you know that! My father and I would never-"
But that's not true. A horrible thought lurched in your head. My father would. Maybe he already has.
"I'm sorry, okay?" She justified, awkwardly shoving her hands in the pockets of her dress. "You should-" She swallowed, raised her chin, and hardened her features. "You should stay away from us. Even if what you're going to do is an accident. I can't let you destroy my family."
Mirabel hurriedly rushed away, leaving you with a throbbing heart and what felt like a crestfallen ship sinking in your chest. Her words pounded in your head: "Stay away from us." It felt like a personal rejection. From your friend, from the universe, from the Madrigals.
You blinked back angry tears and stumbled back home in a hurt daze. It's not fair. I haven't even done anything. It hurt, but she was probably right. If you were going to break the Encanto, you shouldn't be anywhere around them.
Not Mirabel. Not Isabella. Not even Camilo.
Outside, the wind shrieked and rain thundered onto your roof.
You didn't expect him to.
But that night, Camilo didn't come.