Work Text:
There was a lady near the river.
It was sort-of unusual for someone to be here, since the river is already far from Encanto. This is where Abuelo died to save his family.
It seemed that the lady was looking for her family too–well–her children to be specific.
“Hijitos, ¿dónde están mis hijos?” she yelled and her hands were gripping her white dress. She was shaking and crying… and soon she gave up. She slunk down beside the river and sobbed.
“Lo siento hijos,” she cried and Mirabel felt pity.
And pity she felt as she approached the lady in white.
*
Do you remember the winds howling at night, and how it carries the sound of leaves rustling and hushed whispers?
Do you close your eyes tightly until it goes away?
Useless–
Danger–
Burden–
Sorry–
GO AWAY–
Do you remember the times when your family loved you unconditionally? (Abuela?)
It goes unnoticed, but deep inside the forests there is a lady in white yelling and looking for children.
“Hijitos, ¿dónde están mis hijos?” she looked for them until her voice was hoarse.
She slunk down near the river and the lady wept. As her tears fall down on the stream of water.
It turned red.
*
Mirabel loves stories with a good ending. Her papa tells her about princesses, dragons, the usual children stuff that they have. She wasn’t going to ask stories about powers though, they already have one, and it just gives her a small bitter taste in her mouth.
Casita’s windows creaked worryingly.
Mirabel shook her head, everything was fine.
It’s the truth.
And the truth sometimes makes people have different emotions. One truth is that Mirabel is never the one for scary stories. Camilo likes them though, because he can shift himself into a monster and scare other children. Another truth is that there is someone Camilo can’t shift into, because he’s spooked by it too.
Another truth is that Tío Bruno is a great storyteller, mostly because of the voices he does (and sometimes the rats acting–but that's for another part). One of the stories that stuck to them though is the story of La Llorona.
*
Some rumors, stories, myths go out of control. Mostly exaggerated.
Tío Bruno isn’t bad luck y’know, it’s their uncle who loves telenovelas.
La Llorona was just looking for her children y’know. Why shouldn’t she help her?
*
Sadly, there are things that we miss as we live.
One story doesn’t give you the whole perspective of everyone, only theirs–the storyteller.
There are things that go unnoticed or forgotten. There are times where we stopped listening and started making assumptions.
*
Mirabel is a naive child.
She walked towards the lady and stopped when she’s at a good distance. Mirabel waited for the lady to notice her.
But the lady continued to cry and sniffle.
“Do you need help?” Mirabel asked. It’s what their family does. Helping people no matter what.
(Oh Mirabel…)
“Have you seen my children?” the lady asked.
“No,” Mirabel answered, “I can help you look for them though.”
The lady sobbed again, and Mirabel felt sad. She hopes that her family will cry for her too when she’s gone. Will Abuela cry for her?
“It’s fine,” the lady said. “Do you want to go with me?”
Mirabel was about to ask ‘where?’ Then she heard the church bell ring. Her eyes widened in realization that she would be late for lunch!
She blurted out a quick sorry and ran away.
*
Do you remember the winds howling at night and how it carries a lonely cry of a mother?
*
She never knew the whole story of La Llorona. As far as she knew, Tío Bruno never finished it because Tía Pepa got mad when Dolores and Camilo got scared real bad. Mirabel felt relief when Tío Bruno stopped telling scary stories–because honestly, he was bad at it–he should stick more to romance.
*
Mamá looked at her with worry as Mirabel went to her seat to eat dinner. Her child went home muddy and tired.
After dinner, Julieta went inside the nursery to ask, “Are you okay Mirabel?”
Mirabel nodded, “Sí.”
“Really?” her mamá asked once again. “Where have you been this afternoon? Camilo was looking for you hm?”
“At the river,” Mirabel answered and her mamá gave her a disappointed look.
“Ay, I told you not to go near the river…” Julieta softly said.
“I know…but,” Mirabel was reluctant to say what she encountered. “I…–uh–nevermind, it’s nothing…” She wants to help the lady without her family’s help to prove her worth as a Madrigal.
Her mamá gave her another worried look, and said, “don’t go there okay? You have to be careful hm. Who knows what will happen if something bad happens…”
“...It’s alright,” Mirabel gave a small smile as she hugged her mamá. “I won’t go there.”
*
She’s back at the river and the lady in white still looked for her children–and did the same thing she did yesterday.
Mirabel stood at a close distance. “Do you need help?”
“My children,” the lady replied. “I can’t find them.”
“Where did you last see them?” she asked.
The lady cried loudly again, then it turned into a scream until her voice turned hoarse and rasp, and then it turned into a familiar staccato of a laugh.
“Do you want to go with me?” the lady asked.
“Where?”
“At the river.”
The river was dangerous, its current was strong because of the wind.
“Why?”
“My children might be there…”
The church bell rings again and Mirabel quickly runs away without an excuse.
*
Do you remember the winds howling at night and how it carries the screams of children drowning?
*
When Mirabel was back at the river, the lady wasn’t there.
She stood still beside the river and everything was quiet. She almost forgot why she was here… maybe it was to say sorry that she can’t find her children because she already has asked the people at Encanto, and also tell her that she’s not allowed by the river anymore since Dolores ratted her out.
And then, she can hear the water flowing again, and an unusual feeling deep down her gut. Something hit her near her foot. She took a step backwards to turn and heard a crushing sound. Mirabel lifted her foot expecting to see a branch, but...
It was a small human skull.
*
“You stupid child," Abuela said as Mirabel shamelessly shrunk down on her seat. "How many times did we tell you not to go to the river?"
If she could answer, she would say thrice... not including the stories of La Llorona roaming around.
"Mamá, don’t speak like that to Mirabel! Ella sigue siendo una niña."
"How will she learn then?" Abuela sharply said and gave an angry look at Mirabel, "Now look at her now! She found a skull, what will we do?"
Mirabel stayed quiet throughout the whole day.
*
Do you hear the winds howling at night?
*
Mirabel miraculously snuck out of her room at night and went to the river.
There was a lady, who was walking through the river and it made her dress look gray and almost black. There was a veil covering her face.
Why was she here?
"Hijos!" She cried and Mirabel remembered to let her know that the skull that she found was possibly one of her children.
This time, Mirabel walked near the river.
The water was cold, it felt like ice like the hail Tía Pepa conjures whenever she's scared.
"Hey!" Mirabel called but faltered. "Uhmm–" maybe saying that her child is dead isn't right.
The lady stared at her.
The lady walked slowly towards her.
Mirabel slowly took a step back.
"Hija?" The lady asked. "Is that you?"
Mirabel looked at the lady confusingly... Did the lady think she was her child?
Mirabel shook her head and said, “no.”
"Hija?" The lady continued to question and each step she is nearer to Mirabel who was stuck to the river bed.
Mirabel tried to tug her foot out but suddenly the lady grabbed her hand.
Mirabel tensed and can feel the hairs on her skin rise in fear.
"Hija?" The lady once again said, but this time it was soft.
"I'm not your child," Mirabel said.
Everything was still.
"What." The lady sharply spat.
"Uhm..."
"You–you insolent child!" The lady screeched and it felt like Mirabel's ears were going to fall off.
Mirabel tries to remove the lady's grip on her arm but the lady pulls it so she can get a hold of her neck.
The river was cold as ice, and Mirabel couldn't breathe.
Her arms flailed and tried to scratch the lady's face off just so she could escape.
But the lady kept saying. "You're not my child," over and over again as she strangled Mirabel.
Mirabel cried, but it didn't matter as the tears joined the water of the river. Nor to the blood that the lady has on her hands.
She remembered her family when she thought her life flashed before her eyes. She remembered what mamá said about keeping safe. She remembered what Abuela said.
So with all her strength, she blindly reached for a rock and slammed the lady's face with it.
It screeched in agony.
"WHY?!"
She hits the monster again until she lets go of Mirabel.
"WHY?!"
Mirabel coughed and quickly ran away, she heavily breathed and she wishes Dolores will hear her.
She didn't care for the consequences after this with Abuela. She needs to be alive for that.
She runs back to the path where it will lead her back to her home, but she trips and falls down on the ground.
She tried to stand up but her feet remained glued to the ground.
"No no no no no!" There was a hand stopping her from moving. "Please no!" She sobbed and kicked.
It lets go a bit too late.
As the lady–La Llorona–was walking looking for her. She wailed:
"Hija? Where are you?
How dare you do this to me?
Why are you doing this to me again?"
Mirabel hides inside a bush and prays. She was shaking and covering her mouth to stop her crying. She’s scared–
Mamá, can you please hold my hand? I don’t want to be taken away.