Archive of Our Own

Six weeks.

That’s how long Agustin worked in the graveyard. Every day, someone new comes, which means a new person has died. Their families would attend their funeral and grieve until they couldn’t cry any longer. His job was to sweep the leaves that would cover their tombstone, or water the flowers the dead were given by their loved ones. 

Sometimes, he’d try to console them or say small messages of comfort, but they wouldn’t listen. And of course, they wouldn’t, losing a loved one could turn someone’s world upside down, why should they listen to some stranger who just works at the cemetery? He knew better than to physically comfort a tortured soul as it was even more unprofessional and outright weird. 

After every person was buried, the cemetery would go quiet, something Agustin was more used to. There were barely any people on the job, as it was a small place after all and almost no one lived nearby. 

This place was lonely to put it simply, but Agustin didn’t mind. He had no friends or family to go back to, and this was the only place he could call his home. He barely ate, but that was the least of his concerns as his mind was only focused on which tombstone needed to be cleaned today or wondering when the next dead person will arrive. The thought of death was filthy for him, and he hated how cruel fate could be, taking someone just like that. 

He’s seen young people dying even before they could get married or adults who had children, and even newborns. It made him sick to his stomach, but deep down, he also knew that it was just a part of life, and he couldn’t really do anything. 

At night, he’d find a large cement block that didn’t have a dead person inside to sleep on. It was cold and hard, but manageable. It was dead silent, not even crickets making sounds or birds passing by. He had to admit, it was a bit nerve-wracking, but soon, he even adjusted to the silence. 

One day, a newly dead person arrived, and only three people came to attend. Two were young men, one old and young, and the third person was a woman about his age in a teal dress which stood out to Agustin. Ironically, she was the most affected by the person’s death. The two men kept their distance from the tombstone, but the woman was directly in front of it, crying her heart out. He could read their expressions, they felt sympathy but they also were slightly inconvenienced. 

Anger rose in his chest as he couldn’t comprehend how they could feel this way, not even attempting to comfort the woman. Her hair was dark and curly but was messy as it reached down to her arms as she continued to mourn. The funeral has never been this loud, and he himself wanted to approach her, but he felt like he wasn’t in the right place to comfort a stranger. Now, he just felt hypocritical. 

The two men whispered some things to each other and finally walked towards the grave and said some final words before leaving. He couldn’t take it anymore as he slowly approached the mourning woman and knelt by her side. She was too focused on her crying, she didn’t even hear him come closer to her. He coughed softly, already expecting her to just ignore him. Instead, she stopped to look at him with her brown eyes. He was surprised someone actually noticed him, and now, he had no idea what to say. 

  “My condolences,” Agustin said. That seemed like the first good thing to say. “Uhm, I’m sorry about this person… if you don’t mind me asking, who died?” 

  The woman sniffed and tried to wipe any new tears from falling. “I… I died.” She pointed at the tombstone that read, 

“R.I.P. Julieta Madrigal

Born: October 17, 1899

Died: April 12, 1923”

Twenty-four years.

His heart throbbed in pain for her, she was still young, and she died just like that.

  “I died… and no one in my family attended my funeral.” Julieta hugged Agustin, her cries muffled as her face was buried in his shirt. 

  He rubbed circles on her back and said, “Yeah, me too.” 

  That made her pull away, horrified by his response. “W-What?! How’s that possible?!” 

  “I mean how else can I talk to you?” He asked blankly, yet continued to pat her back, to try to comfort her. “My funeral happened six weeks ago, it’s good to know I’m not alone.” 

  “I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

  “Die?”

  “No, I meant… oh god, I’m really sorry! You’re dead?!”

  “Yup.”

  “And you’ve been working here?”

  “It’s a distraction.” Agustin looks down. “My family died before me, and I have no friends. I thought maybe a co-worker would visit, but… nothing.” 

  “I’m so sorry about that… What was your name?” Julieta asked, feeling a bit dumbfounded, and looked around for a tombstone to find his name. “Shit, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” 

  He pointed at a grave literally next to hers. “Agustin Rojas.” 

“R.I.P. Agustin Rojas

Born: June 19, 1901

Died: March 1, 1923”

  She stared at his tombstone, seeing only one flower that was beginning to wither. “Agustin, I’m so sorry about your death.”

  “It’s fine. Your family must either be really far away from you or the worst people to not attend your burial.”

  “A little bit of both,” Julieta said, continuing to stare at his grave. “You’re only twenty-two. That’s way too young." 

  “Supposed to be twenty-three in a couple of months, guess that’s not happening.” 

  “How did you die anyway?”

He winced when the question was brought up, and Julieta immediately tried to reassure him that he didn’t have to tell, but he told her it was okay. He died more than six weeks ago, but the memory is still fresh in his mind. The worst part of his death was tragic and really pathetic. 

Being the clumsiest man since birth, he always wondered why he didn’t die sooner and had no idea if he should be grateful that his streak of bad luck has finally left him after death. Dying was, of course, shocking. It’s not like Agustin could use the adjective, ‘life-changing’, to describe his scenario now. 

He swore he would never drive again as the memory of him crashing onto a tree only for the same car to fall off a cliff the moment he thought he was safe. The only part he still couldn’t comprehend was how he was able to be found by some random strangers. Being so lost, he should’ve lasted at least a few weeks of not being found. What’s even worse than that is Agustin realizing he was out of his body, like a literal ghost. 

He couldn’t enter heaven or hell, no one cared enough to reach out to him to guide him. Oh, just like always, he thought with distaste. Yet despite it all, he didn’t seem too fazed the longer he was dead. The only thing he would leave from this world was his old tailoring apprentice job, and it’s not like he was close with any of his fellow workers. None of them wanted to be near him due to his clumsy reputation, and he did keep to himself most of the time. 

Yeah, no one really cared. His funeral was only attended by the people who found his body and his boss. No friends, no family. He lived lonely, and he died alone. 

Tragic, but pathetic. 

Telling Julieta the details about how he died was the hard part, but bracing for her reaction was even harder. The momentary silence was so unbearable that he wished she’d laugh at him to cut the tension, but she just hugged him. They just met, and she’s already so caring towards him. 

  “Woah, no need to get so touchy, it already happened,” Agustin said, a little touched by her actions, but still weirded out. “This is your burial, not mine. You should be comforted.” 

  “I know, but… I can’t help it,” she replied. “Living your life alone, and no one showing up… I just thought you needed one.”

  “Hm, what about you? Were you also alone?” 

  She pulled away and fixed the flowers around her grave. “Yes and no? Hard to tell. I did have a family, but… it’s complicated.”

  “At least you had a family.” Agustin sighed a bit, feeling a bit envious. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive.”

  “No worries.” She saw a butterfly resting on one of the flowers and stretched out her hand, gesturing for the butterfly to sit on her finger. “I had two siblings, we were triplets. My mother raised all of us on her own.”

  “Must’ve been hard for her. N-Not that I think you were a difficult person…” 

  “I probably was. Mama and I fought all the time.,” She said as the butterfly flew away from her. “I used to have a gift, you know. I could heal people with whatever I could cook, how ironic the healer dies.”

  “Oh, I’d probably be your most frequent patient. I’m a walking accident, I can’t spend a day without getting a scrape on my knee.” 

  “Ah, you’re one of those people.” 

  “What kind of people?”

  “Accident-prone. Probably used to having broken bones.”

  “Oh please, I’m not that bad. I only had broken bones thrice in my life! And I only get bee stings once a day, which is a good thing because I used to get them twice a day!”

  She just looked at him blankly. “Yeah, you’d definitely be my most frequent patient.” 

He gasped, pretending to be hurt, placing a hand on his chest dramatically. She softly chuckled at his reaction, which relieved Agustin. He almost forgot he even approached her to make her feel better, and he’s glad he could cheer her up, even just a little bit. Her laugh was like the first rays of sunshine in this gloomy colorless life of death. 

  “Anyways, uhm, we fought a lot. She placed so much pressure on me to cook non-stop, and everyone in the town was relying on me.”

  “Hold up, you mean to tell me you’re the only doctor back in your place?!” He tried to comprehend what she was saying. “I know you can heal people by just giving them a glass of water, but that’s too much pressure on one person!”

  “That’s what I’ve been saying, but I should still serve the community. Not that I hate helping people, but…” Her hands started to shake as she hugged her knees. “I just… never s-stop working. I could get hurt from overworking, but I’m told, ‘you can just heal yourself, Julieta!’ ”

  “That’s the most bullshit argument I ever heard. If I lived there, I would’ve helped you take a break!-”

  “While I heal your broken leg.”

  “-Yes! But at least I would've helped! W-What about your siblings? Do they have gifts too?”

  “You know, you’re really taking this ‘Wow, people can have powers’ thing rather well.” 

  He simply shrugged. “I mean I’m dead, and can basically walk as a ghost. I think I’d believe anything at this point.” 

  “Well, if you must know, my sister, Pepa, can control the weather and Bruno can see the future.”

  “That’s actually pretty cool.”

  “Not as cool as my healing gift? Hmm?” She leaned towards Agustin.

  “Oh, yours is definitely cooler, and practical. You think you still have your gift though as a ghost?”

  “I haven’t actually tried yet. I just died.”

  “Touche.” 

  “Besides, I don’t think anything could hurt… spirits.” 

That seemed to be a good point. He couldn’t feel anything physically, whenever he cleaned a tombstone or touched somebody, his hand would be numb to it. It was jarring the first time, and it still is pretty weird. He had a fair share of bumping into poles or trees, but he never got hurt.  Honestly, he wished he was a ghost earlier so he didn’t have to feel any physical pain. 

  “You’re a hundred percent right on that one, and that’s probably a good thing, you won’t feel anything,” He said. 

  “I still feel something inside though.” Julieta sighed, hugging her knees again. 

  “Also right on that one.” 

  “I feel… guilt. There was this one time I fought with my mom, it was the worst one yet. I… I don’t remember much, but I decided to leave the Encanto. I managed to escape the mountains somehow. Colombia is so much bigger than I expected, or maybe I was that sheltered in a small town. It’s beautiful, sure, but I know nothing about it. I was so scared, I… did you remember your exact final moment?”

  “Well…” Agustin placed a hand on his chin. He did remember how he died, but not the exact moment he breathed his last. He simply shook his head. “No. I don’t… I only remember I fell from a cliff and I just blacked out. I woke up, and that’s when I realized I was dead.”

  “Just like me,” Julieta muttered.

  He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that? You fell off a cliff too?”

  “No! Dios mio, I’d never! I… I was walking around in a very quiet area somewhere in Bogota, I remember being so weak… then I just blacked out. Next thing you know, I’m a ghost! I never knew what exactly happened, but I knew at that moment I was dead.” She paused a bit, creating silence between them. 

  “Death is weird,” Agustin blurted out. “Like can we at least know if there’s really a powerful deity out there- oh my god, Julieta! Are you okay?!”

  Julieta was seemingly staring at nothing, but her tears were streaming down from her eyes like a slow silent waterfall. Her expression evoked no emotion, yet it was clear in her eyes that something was wrong. “H-Huh…? Oh, …oh, I’m so sorry!” She wiped the tears, not being fazed by the weird outburst of her emotions. “I don’t know what came over me…”

  “Hey, it’s okay,” his voice softened a bit as he helped her wipe the tears. “You were crying a lot earlier, and that’s fine. Processing this kind of loss is hard, especially if it’s your own. I’m just here for you, I don’t know why we’re not yet in the afterlife, but you got me and I got you. Things will be okay.”

  She sniffled and gave him a hopeful look. “Things will be okay?”

  “I can’t say for certain, but… things eventually have to be okay. That’s how life is.”

  Julieta just giggled. “But we’re dead.”

  “Death is a part of life, at least that’s what my boss likes to say.” Agustin looked around the graveyard, trying to find something that might help Julieta. “Tell you what… if you’re gonna be a lost soul in this weird version of Purgatory, you’re staying with me until we figure things out. That is when you make it to heaven.” Agustin stood up and stretched his legs. 

  “ When? You really have that much faith in me that I’d be accepted into heaven, you’re such a charmer,” Julieta said, pretending to look like a flustered schoolgirl by the compliment. “And why just me? You’re going to heaven too. Give yourself more credit.”

  “What do you mean? Comforting someone is the bare minimum.”

  “Yeah, but you could’ve easily ignored me. I’m sure you were a good person in your lifetime.”

  Agustin’s face heated up by the compliment. “Are you sure you’re not the charmer?” He gave her a coy smile. That just caused the both of them to laugh. “Come on, I’ll show you where you can sleep for now. This situation is already pretty weird.” He reached his hand to her and she took it.

He gave her a brief tour of the graveyard. It was pretty small, yet it almost looked stranded. Some people do stay and work, but not for too long. He showed her the different cement blocks she could sleep on. They were definitely weird choices for sleeping, but he reminded her that ghosts can’t feel anything, so it wouldn’t make much of a difference. 

After that the two continued their small talk, talking about the Encanto or how Agustin’s life was in Bogota. Once they ran out of things to say, they tried talking about things like what would’ve happened if certain things never happened. Like if Agustin’s parents never died or if Julieta never left the mountains. 

They were so lost in the conversation that Agustin’s head ended up on Julieta’s lap, completely unaware. She was just patting his head and playing with the small strands of his hair. It almost felt like instinct for her, like it was right to do these comforting gestures to someone. 

  “You know how people usually say that it doesn’t matter what happens in the past, but rather how you shape your future in this very moment?” Agustin asked, not minding Julieta’s fingers on his scalp. 

  “Hm? Yes? What about it?” 

  “Does that kind of question apply even in death? Does it matter what we do now? Are we being judged right now?”

  “Well, if that were the case, you should’ve been in heaven a long time ago. You said it yourself, you’ve been here for six weeks. That’s surely more than enough time, isn’t it?”

  “I don't know, I may have died young, but twenty-two years is still twenty-two years. If there’s really a god out there, then he shouldn’t have a hard time with me, my life’s unfulfilling and boring.”

  “Never had a girlfriend or a boyfriend?”

  “No, I already told you that no one wants to go near a clumsy tailor.”

  “You can’t be that bad. Even then, it’s a little too cruel, don’t you think?” Julieta fixed the position of his glasses before booping his nose. 

  “I guess so. You know, I wished we met when we were alive. It would’ve been less lonely, you’re the first person I’ve talked to in six weeks.”

  “I can’t imagine being this lonely, but I’m here now. Neither of us has to be alone anymore.”

  It was the only thing Agustin ever wanted when he was alive. He just smiled at that thought. “Yeah, and I’m glad it’s like this now.”

If it was possible for ghosts to be tired, then Agustin was certainly getting sleepy, especially after the sun set down. He yawned and told Julieta he would sleep for the night. Ghosts weren’t physically capable of falling asleep, Agustin learned that the hard way the first night he became a ghost. And he never felt exhausted either, just apathetic. The fact he finally found a friend in Julieta made him feel alive, even if it was very small. 

That small part of feeling alive was enough to at least pretend to be asleep as if he never died. The cold cement still felt like nothing, but he wished he would’ve gotten a bed. 

His eyelids felt heavy when he began to doze off. Maybe his newly-deceased body would make him wake up in a few hours, not the full eight hours required for a living human. 

Seven weeks.

It’s been like this for at least a week since they first talked. Every time he woke up, they would clean the cemetery together. After there was nothing to clean or to water, they would go to their usual spot to have a chat. Living people would most probably have conversations that were about what happens once they die, and since these two got the answers (or at least, partially) Julieta and Agustin would just talk about what it means to get into heaven or wonder if they were already in heaven, but didn’t realize. Agustin was known to be an oblivious man, and he wouldn’t be surprised if a random angel dropped by and told them the good news.

Sleeping always felt weird, but not to the point it felt wrong. His “sleeps” were fine, peaceful even. It was like being alive.

Except for one night.

Agustin somehow managed to sleep for a few hours, but something awoke him. He wasn’t that upset about it but grew fearful. The cemetery was always quiet, and the only thing that could cause that noise would be Julieta. It didn’t even sound like a snore which concerned the dead tailor even more. 

  “J-Julieta?” He called out to her, but no answer. “Julieta, what is going on?!” He rubbed his eyes and started to march his way to the spot he and Julieta talked earlier before he called it a night.

What he saw next, woke up every part of his body and if his non-working heart could still beat, it was certainly pounding so fast. 

Julieta was there on top of her grave, crying uncontrollably, but her body was in a frenzy, shaking and her eyes were on high alert. She was clutching onto her hair as she mumbled nonsense. 

He recognized this when he first realized he was a ghost, a panic attack.

  “Julieta!” He tried to reach out to her, but he knew she needed space. He reached out his hand to her. “Julieta, breathe…” 

  “I still can’t believe I’m dead like I’m actually dead, I died! I can't…I can’t…” Her breathing continued to hitch. “I-I…”

  “J-Julieta?”

  “Oh god, my family! I died before I could see them again! I ran away! I ran before I could properly say goodbye to them!” She tried to gasp, her entire body trembling. “They must be thinking that I abandoned them! No, no, take me back! Bring me back!” Julieta grabbed her tombstone and tried to dig her fingers into the concrete, wanting to break it. Of course, it leads to nowhere. “Please, let me live again!” 

  “Julieta!” Agustin tried to snap her from it. “Julieta, you are dead! You can’t bring yourself back to life! Please! You’re breaking your own grave!”

  “Well, maybe if I break it, I’ll be set free!” 

  “You think I haven’t tried that?!” His voice broke as the tears ran down his face as he pulled her up, his hands still glued to her wrists. “We’re dead, and there’s nothing we can do about it! I didn’t want to die either, but I’m fucking here right now anyway! We just have to accept it!” 

  “Let go of me!” She fought him off and she fell, breaking free from his grip. Agustin didn’t believe he was able to say such things like that. He was alone for so long that he never got the chance to express what he really felt about dying. 

  “I-I’m sorry…” He managed to say. He could feel his own body shaking and his heart pounding in his ears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell… I didn’t mean to-” He stopped himself when Julieta looked back at him, her eyes wide but still teary. “Julieta, I promise you I didn’t mean to-”

  “Just stop.” Her voice was weak but loud enough to hear in the silence. “I…I need some time alone.” 

He simply nodded and turned to leave, the guilt crawling over his back and he dropped to his knees when he was in his usual place to sleep where Julieta couldn’t see him. He felt so pathetic, he wanted to make her adjust to this new ghostly life as smoothly as he could, but how? She’s a ghost because she’s dead, and she can no longer come back to the family she ran away from. 

He wasn’t any better. He died before he could get his shit together and tried to make his life tolerable. The regret of wasting his life was always there in the back of his head and he was so stupid to let himself suffer like this in his lifetime. What would he even say to her? Comfort was the one thing Agustin was supposed to do for Julieta, his new and probably only friend, and he even managed to mess that up. 

Breaking his own grave was something Agustin attempted more than once every time he fully realized he would never be given a second chance… no when he wasted all his chances to live the life he wanted. 

Something about seeing Julieta do the same thing broke his heart. It was like he was brought to that memory the first time he did it. 

Seven weeks should’ve been a long time for him to move on and accept his fate, but no, part of him didn’t want to accept it. He wished he could take it back.

He wished he never had the idea to take his own life that night. 

He didn’t get into an accident, his stupid clumsiness didn’t suddenly make him a bad driver. It was all him. On purpose .

Everything was too much for him, everyone didn’t just avoid him, everyone hated him. He would be berated for every small mistake he made. Every insult in the world was thrown at him. The memory of the family that took pity on him, that took him in, died because of him. Everything was his fault, and he stayed away from people for the fear of hurting someone he would care about. 

He felt like it was a cruel joke that he was such an easy target for misfortunes, yet never managed to die. That’s what he used to think. 

But he lied to himself when he became a ghost.

He told himself that he didn’t do it on purpose. He didn’t want to admit he could do such a thing to himself. Everything was an accident, he wanted it to be an accident. Agustin would tell himself that every time a voice told him he took his own life away. Of the five stages of grief, he was heavily stuck in denial. 

  “You didn’t… you didn’t do it…” He whispered to himself, trying not to get Julieta’s attention. He knew she needed to process her own emotions, and he wasn’t about to halt it by letting her comfort him. He didn’t need it, he didn’t want it. “Stop it… don’t think of yourself, you selfish… piece of shit…” His hands were gripped tight onto his hair as the tears fell down on their own. 

When Julieta came into the mix of his already scattered mind, he felt way worse. The lie was eating him up inside that he even told her it was an accident. How would she even react when she knows the truth? She wouldn’t believe him anymore. He just wanted to comfort her, but why?

He thought maybe this was his punishment that he had to face for the rest of eternity. To never be able to comfort the tortured souls. 

Every time a dead person came, he wanted to ease their pain, not wanting to see others potentially feel what he had felt, but it never goes anywhere. Not until he met Julieta. 

Agustin thought he was a fool. A fool for believing he could do one good thing. He wouldn’t be surprised if Julieta would leave him after yelling at her in her time of need. 

  “Agustin?”

His body went to a momentary freeze before glancing back at Julieta. She still had the same heartbroken look she had moments ago, but she had stopped crying. He could see the dried tear stains on her face. Luckily, he managed to wipe his tears, hiding the fact he had a small breakdown over his haunting past, his biggest regret . 

  “J-Julieta, hey…” His voice was shaking, and it broke between words. He coughed, trying to pull himself together. “Julieta, I’m so sorry about the way I-”

  “It’s fine, Agustin. But are you okay?”

  His heart dropped. Did she notice? How could she not? He was practically crying, like almost a cry for help. “No- I mean- you don’t have to do that! Julieta, you just had a panic attack and you’re asking me if I’m okay?!”

  “But I saw you crying, and I thought… I hurt you-”

  “ Hurt me? Julieta, my feelings aren’t the priority here! You just said you thought you abandoned your siblings and you wanted to be alive again! That’s extremely heavy stuff that you can’t just brush away! Please, if something’s bothering you, tell me. Don’t try to avoid it or lie to yourself that it’s not a big deal!” He held her shoulders gently, trying to reassure her that he was fine and she could let go if she needed to. 

Her eyes turned glassy and he thought he messed up again. Before he could apologize, she hugged him. Agustin just watched as Julieta cried her heart out, the same way she did when he first saw her in the cemetery. His heart never felt this much grief. He thought he was incapable of feeling something, but here he was, comforting his friend as he cried with her. 

  “I was selfish… t-the last thing I told them was that ‘I wish I was dead!’ Those were the last things I ever said to my family, not an ‘I love you’ or ‘Take care’ just that! I’m a horrible sister, and I’m a horrible daughter! I deserved it, I deserved to die, but why does it hurt so much?!” 

  “You don’t deserve to die,” Agustin firmly said. “Nobody does… you’ve done nothing, but good in your life. Your family knows that, they should know that.”

  “I wish I could just tell them one last time… it’s all I ask.” She continued to sob into his chest. Agustin just rubbed comforting circles on her back. “I hate being a ghost, but you’re right, I can’t do anything about it. I just have to try and move on… I think that’s why I haven’t ascended yet.”

  “It’s gonna be hard, but I’ll be there for you, …if you’d let me.” 

  “Of course, I’d let you. You’re my friend.” She pulled away and wiped her tears before gently taking his hands. “And I want to be there for you too. I know it was just an accident that caused your demise, but you lost your life either way, and I want to support you. You must’ve been alone for months, with no one to vent to or find comfort. I want to be that person for you. You’ve been nothing, but kind, and I want to repay that.”

  “N-No, please don’t say that…” Agustin said, his hands on hers started to shake as the tears came back. “No, I don’t deserve it.”

  Julieta seemed confused but mostly concerned. “But Agustin-”

  “Julieta, you don’t understand. I’m a liar, I lied to you. I don’t deserve your kindness. If you knew… you would never look at me the same way again. I’m a man full of shame and deserve nothing but humiliation and misery. Julieta, I’m-”

  “Agustin, don’t say that about yourself! I’m sure whatever you’re hiding is not undeserving of understanding and forgiveness-”

  “Julieta, I took my own life,” Agustin tells her. Julieta’s expression seemed startled, but she continued to hold his hands, to try and comfort him. “It wasn’t an accident that I died. I wanted to do it. No, that’s… while I was driving, my mind was so sure that this was it. No turning back, I could do it. But when I was about to crash the tree, I saw the most beautiful view from the side of my windows. It was… so calming, there was something hopeful about it. I felt happy for the first time in years. I wanted nothing more than to live this moment a little longer. I tried to steer away, I changed my mind, but I was too late. I crashed onto the tree, a-and all I wished was to have that view before I had the idea to do that act. I’m a monster for doing this to myself, I could never take it back! I-I should’ve… I should’ve-”

He was cut off when Julieta hugged him. He couldn’t hold it in anymore, his body fell along with his tears. He truly felt alive in the worst way possible. The guilt, the anger, and the sadness amplified every time he screamed his anguish out. Julieta continued to hold him close, whispering phrases of reassurance once in a while. 

  “You’re not a monster. And I am so, so , sorry you went through that,” Julieta spoke in a soft tender voice. “No matter what I say, it won’t bring you back, but I really wished I could.”

  “I’m just so tired! I was so tired… I thought there was no more hope for me!” Agustin continued to sob at the crook of her neck. “Please don't leave me! I don’t want to be alone!”

  “It’s okay, I’m right here.”

She did so and held him which must’ve felt like hours, maybe eternity. Julieta couldn’t find any more words to comfort him, but Agustin didn’t need that. He just needed someone to cry to, to let all his hidden feelings out. 

They both cried together over their respective regrets, finding comfort from the other. It was a wound that would probably never heal completely, but right now, all they wanted was someone to talk to, a friend.

The rain accompanied their pain as they continued to mourn. Eventually, the sound of heavy rain drowned out their cries, and they became silent. They still continued to hold each other close, never wanting to let go, even for a second. 

Agustin was the first to pull away. 

He just kneeled there, his head avoiding her gaze as the shame was still inside his heart. No words came out, and his mind was blank. It almost seemed like what he wanted to say already left when he cried.

  “I’m sorry, Julieta…”

  “Stop! Never apologize!”

  “But it’s a sin! Suicide is a sin! I have no one to blame but myself for what I’ve done…”

  “You’ve had that regret for weeks, and you need to forgive yourself for it. I know it’s painful, and I would never fully understand what it must’ve been like.”

  “What? But… I thought you did the same thing-”

  “No, when I died, I was starving. I was fatigued from traveling and never found a place to stay or people that could help me. I died alone . No one helped me, but they did the moment I was dead.”

  “Even then, I don’t deserve forgiveness. Suicide is irredeemable, I’m not worthy,” Agustin said. 

  “Even if it was, you’re never unworthy of forgiveness. In a twisted way, you’re given a second chance to find peace for yourself. Forgiveness will take time, and like what you said to me, I will be there for you. I don’t care how messy things will be, I will help you heal. We’ll help each other move on.”

  “I…” Agustin was at a loss for words, and he hugged her again. “Thank you, thank you! I don’t know how I’ll ever make it up to you!”

  “You don’t have to do anything for me. Get better for yourself, and only for yourself.”

  He just nodded, smiling again for the first time since the panic attack. “Okay, I will.”

  “Take deep breaths with me, Agustin. There was this mantra thing my sister would use whenever she had a storm over her head.”

  “Literally or…?”

  “Literally, of course.” She took his hands and they started to inhale and exhale together. “Repeat after me: Clear skies, clear skies…”

  He took another deep breath before closing his eyes. “Clear skies, clear skies…” 

His chest felt lighter, but the ache was still there. 

Agustin hugged her again, but their embrace was softer. The rain started to calm a little, but it’s not like they were capable of getting drenched. But he could care less about that, Agustin finally realized his life doesn’t have to be like this anymore. 

Eight weeks.

It had been exactly two months since he died, and two weeks since Julieta’s death. It had been the most emotionally gruesome week for both of them. He had almost lost his thoughts of death and worthlessness, but they definitely did resurface when he least expected it, like a cruel surprise. 

Julieta was the same. She openly admitted that there were times she didn’t feel good enough when no one was satisfied by her gift or when she thought the Encanto was better off without her sometimes. Seeing her beat herself up always pierced Agustin’s heart. He knew she was going through almost the same thing as he was, and almost always found the right words to say to comfort her. 

At least the words he wished he heard from others.

Whenever either of them or both of them cried or when their minds decided to plague them with toxic thoughts, they were there for each other, comforting each other through any means. Like repeating that mantra Julieta taught him last week, for instance. Also, hugging, reassuring words, and even singing. Julieta had the pleasure to hear Agustin’s alluring voice when he sang. She once called it captivating like a siren, and that made the man blush down to his neck. 

Compliments were even harder to get used to than not feeling anything when touching objects. 

  “You know, I sometimes dreamt of playing any musical instrument. Like the piano…” Julieta said, leaning her face onto the palm of her hand, giving Agustin a loving look. Unfortunately, he didn’t catch on. 

  “Aha, you’re lucky I’m a pianist!” Agustin stated while standing with pride. “It takes a while to get used to, but it’s much easier if you have learned it since you were young. If only I could find a piano somewhere.” He took her hand, examining the size of her fingers. “Small fingers, but should be manageable on the piano. How come you never got the time to learn?” 

  “It’s always cooking and feeding the townspeople to heal them.” She sighed. “There’s so much I want to do, but so little time.”

  “Maybe we could find something. It may not be the same as when we were alive, but it’s worth it to try.”

  “You always know what to say, has anyone told you that?” Julieta gave him a small smirk, but it quickly turned into a genuine smile. “I really wished more people knew that because I really appreciate the things you say to me. It makes me feel alive, like literally.”

  “You make me feel alive too, and in the best way possible.” Agustin returned her smile. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. We only knew each other for two weeks, but it’s like I’ve known you for my entire life.” 

Julieta just blushed and hid her face with her curls when Agustin confusingly asked if she was okay or if he said anything wrong. He really knew the right things to say, and that alone comforted him in ways he couldn’t fathom. 

Whatever heartache they were going through, it definitely did not disappear in an instant no matter how much they wished it did.

But finally being able to be completely honest with his best friend was more than enough to feel peace, even if it was just a little. It was still sometimes hard to believe he was dead, but being dead for a full two months got him used to it. 

He would never say he was grateful Julieta came into his life because that would technically be the same thing as saying, “Hey, I’m glad you died!” But he would be lying if he said he was happy he got a friend in her. 

He really, really wished he met her in their lifetime. 

How he would’ve taught her the piano, how she would heal him constantly with her special arepa con queso, and how they would always reassure each other. It was almost as if he knew her from another life, but he thought that was an absurd idea. 

Nine weeks.

Julieta suggested for the first time to leave the cemetery. 

Agustin wanted to say yes, but there was another secret he was hiding. He didn’t want to have an argument with her, so he led her to the gates of the cemetery. 

  “Why can’t you leave?” She asked, concerned. “Are you sure you’re not just afraid to leave?”

  “Believe me, if that were the case, I would’ve been stupid enough to run out of here ages ago, but I can’t…” His hand touched the gates, and an almost invisible forcefield touched his fingertips, preventing him from going any further. “I’m sorry, but you can probably leave. It’s for the best.”

  “No, Agustin. I’m not leaving you. I told you we’d face things together. If you can’t leave, then I’m staying. I wish you had told me before…”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t even consider the fact you wanted to leave, but I probably should’ve. This place is depressing. Please don’t stay here for my sake, you’re probably not in heaven because you’re stuck with me.”

  Julieta simply shook her head and gave him a kind smile. “No need. I’m already in heaven with you.”

  “ Huh? Julieta, I look nothing like an angel…?”

  That comment made her laugh. It was always a joy to hear her like that. It was infectious, never failing to make Agustin smile himself. She tells him, “No, that’s not what I… ay, Agustin.” She just snorted and placed her hand on her forehead. “I’m just saying that I love being here with you.”

  “I feel flattered and I love being here with you too, but could you at least check if you could leave? I’m trying to see something here.” 

Julieta nodded and placed her hand on the gate. The same thing happens, the forcefield prevented her from going any further. But this time, the tips of her fingertips managed to make it to the other side. Agustin looked like he saw something incredible for the first time. 

  “You can leave!” Agustin exclaimed happily.

  “Yeah, sorta? It’s still hard to move though, I can only partially move out.”

  “Huh, I wonder why…”

  “I like to think it’s not letting us out because we’re not ready to leave. That’s just a theory.” Julieta placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought. “Guess we have to overcome our grievances if we wanna leave…”

  “Yeah, that’s going to take a long while for me. You really wanna wait for me that long?”

  She took his hand. “With no hesitation.” 

Twelve weeks. 

Almost three months, and it still remains to be cloudy. Really, the weather doesn’t affect them, but they’d prefer to have such calming weather. Whenever it would rain, Julieta would sit on a random cement block and stare into nothing. 

Agustin seemed to notice and remembered Julieta had a sister who could control the weather.

  “Thinking about Pepa?” He asked.

  She sniffled, wiping a tear. “Yeah, she’s always in my mind. Also Bruno, and also Mama. I know I’m outside the mountains, but I can’t help but worry if Pepa is alright whenever I see rain. Well, she wouldn’t be, especially when I left like this. How would she react if she found out the truth? It’s not like I would hide it from her, I mean that’s impossible.”

  “She would definitely be in grief. That’s a normal reaction, but how would she find out? How far is the Encanto from Bogota?”

  “Pretty far. I could no longer see the shape of the mountain when I got to the center of the city.” 

  “Whew. Yeah, pretty far.”

  “I want to get out of here, so I could at least comfort my siblings. I miss them so much, it’s killing me. But, I can’t leave. I tried the gate again earlier, and a hand managed to come out, but that’s it.” She slumped, feeling defeated. “I’m never gonna leave…”

  “Hey, that’s quitter-talk! We’ll get through this, and leave together!” Agustin tried to sound enthusiastic, motivating her with all he had. 

  “But what if we can never leave? It feels like months…”

  “Twelve weeks for me, but six for you,” Agustin stated. Julieta looked at him weirdly for keeping track of time. “And there’s no need to rush. We have all the time in the world.”

  “Yeah, we do, but them? They don’t have all the time in the world. They’re mortals, vulnerable to anything, and what’s worse is that I’m not there to heal them if they get hurt.” Julieta covered her face, and almost looked like she was about to break down. 

  Agustin frowned and wrapped his hands around her. “Shh, it’s okay. If your siblings are anything like you, they’d try to push through and find a light in every situation thrown at them. And that’s what I love about you.”

  “But what if they ran away like I did? What if they… they…”

  “Die? I highly doubt that.”

  “Yeah, before I died, I would think the same way, but now, I feel like anything could happen,” Julieta said. “I feel so worthless, like the things you say are a lie-”

  “But they’re true!”

  “I know that! But… it’s so hard to believe sometimes, especially when I’m in this headspace. I don’t know why I’m like this, I’m so sorry-”

  “Never apologize for feeling this way, especially when they’re valid.” Agustin went in front of her and wiped a tear, looking at her gently. “They will be okay, I promise.”

  “How can you promise such a thing when you can’t even leave?”

  “I just… I just feel hope for once, and I need you to believe in them, too. I know it’s easier said than done, but you have to try.” 

  Julieta nodded. “I’m sorry-'' She stopped herself from apologizing again. “You’re… right. I just have to believe in them, but I still want to see them.” They both turned towards the gate. “Curse that gate for trapping us here!” 

  “Come on, there’s still a grave that needs to be cleaned.” He gestured her to a tombstone that hasn’t been cleaned in a while. “Maybe that’ll help pass the time for now.”

  “Mhm, thank you, Agustin… I really appreciate it. You know, when you say those things about me, I can’t help but feel happy. No one’s ever said that to me.”

 “Really? Well, I’m glad I’m here to remind you.”

As they were about to clean, there was loud thunder rumbling very close to the cemetery. They both knew it was cloudy, and rain was a common occurrence, but something was different about this storm. They could hear it, but couldn’t see where it was coming from, not even from a distance.

Then, they heard two people talking. Agustin wasn't familiar with those voices, but when he looked at Julieta, she looked like she had seen Death himself. She dropped everything she was doing, running for the gates, completely forgetting she still couldn’t leave. 

Two people entered inside, one short man and a tall woman. The short one was wearing a green ruana, with a hood covering his face. Yet Agustin could see strands of curly black hair and hair growing on his chin. There was a rat on his shoulder which seemed odd, but it was nothing compared to a glowing green glass thing he had in his hands. 

The woman was a bigger contrast to her companion,  she was tall and had a simple yellow dress. Her frizzly red hair was braided, and by all means, she looked the kind of person who would be fun at parties, but she looked extremely gloomy. If her demeanor wasn’t enough, she had a cloud over her head that was raining over her.

Cloud over her head…

Agustin realized that they were Julieta’s siblings, and somehow, they managed to escape the Encanto and find their way here.

Julieta ran to them crying, but she phased through them. Her siblings didn’t seem fazed by it. Agustin just watched this scene unfold with concern.

  “Bruno, what are we even doing here?! A cemetery of all places! Are you insane?!” Pepa said, holding her braid tightly as she repeated a certain phrase Agustin was familiar with. It didn’t seem to work for her as she started to cry. “She wouldn’t die! We shouldn’t even have come here! Why would she be here?!”

  “Pepa, I already told you, it’s in the vision! The vision never lies, unfortunately. It didn’t say she was dead just because it showed us a cemetery!” Bruno took a good look at his green glowing object, which Agustin presumes that’s his vision. “This definitely looks like the place. The names on the tombstone were blurred for some reason, but this is definitely the first area we should check out. If we can’t find anything, then I have to do another vision-”

  “Hey, Bruno…” Pepa stopped her brother when she pointed at a specific grave, her finger shaking. “I-I think we found her…”

  Bruno looked in her direction and dropped the vision, breaking it into pieces. He didn’t seem to care about that as he removed his hood, revealing the entirety of his face. “I… oh my god, no, no! Julieta!” 

Both siblings ran and surrounded Julieta’s tombstone, and when they fully realized the situation, Pepa’s rain turned into a bigger thunderstorm. Lightning crashed towards different places, but thankfully, none of the tombstones were hit. Agustin could feel a slight hurricane forming. Bruno screamed in anguish but was muffled by his sister’s storm. 

  “W-We were too late!” Bruno cried and slammed his fist on the grass. “We couldn’t make it in time!”

  “S-She’s been dead since April… I… how could we let this happen?! Why didn’t we come with her when she left us?! I’m so sorry, Julieta! We’re so sorry we let you out alone like this! Please forgive us!”

  “I should’ve seen it… I should’ve seen this happening! We could’ve saved her! Why didn’t I do the vision sooner?! Why didn’t my body do this randomly if it was so important?! Why?! I’m the fucking seer, but I couldn’t predict and save my own family!” Bruno kept on screaming, not caring about the fact he was so close to being blown away.

Agustin continued to watch them mourn, and Julieta tried to reach out to them. She knew they wouldn’t be able to see her or even hear her, but she wanted her presence to be known. She’d do anything to comfort them. Agustin was equally terrified and pained by their reaction, and he had no idea how to help. 

  “Julieta, they can’t see you! What are you planning to do?!” He asked, starting to feel the wind against his hair. 

  “I…I have to do something! Maybe if I got a little closer-” 

As if Bruno could hear them, he seemed to realize the condition of the situation and momentarily stopped grieving to stop his sister.

  “P-Pepa, please calm down! I know we lost Julieta, but please, you’re going to destroy this place!” Bruno pleaded. 

  There was a loud crack of thunder that boomed at the center of the cemetery. “ Calm down?! For once, can you not say that to me?! Our sister just died! We wasted every chance we could have to prevent that!! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN?!” 

  Bruno just stared down as if he had no answer. “I… but you’re destroying this place-” 

  “To hell with this place!! How could they take her away like this?! She must’ve died thinking we didn’t love her enough to go after her!!” The storm died down a bit, but lightning kept appearing every second. “Bruno, what are we going to tell Mama?! How would the town react?! We already lost our dad, and now our sister! Bruno, I can’t keep going like this!”

  “Pepa, please don’t say that… please-” He tried to take her hand, but she stepped away. “I’m sure if Julieta was here, she wouldn’t want to see us like this!”

  “But she isn’t! Would it even matter?!” 

With the storm starting to be easier to walk through, Julieta approached her siblings and placed her hands on them. Agustin knew she was finding it hard to say anything, but like what Pepa said, would it even matter?

Pepa lost the strength to stand up and she knelt down, crying, in front of her brother. Bruno bent down and hugged his sister, crying silently. Julieta hugged Pepa from behind and Agustin stood by their side, trying to offer any emotional support he could give. 

  “I know… I know how much it hurts. I would go to hell and back to make her alive again if I could! But… she’s gone… she’s really gone.” 

  “Bruno, I don’t know how to go on now… we left the Encanto and promised to start our new lives! But… Julieta’s not here anymore. I can’t imagine a life without her.”

  “I’m still here, Pepa,” Bruno said. “I’m still here, we can go on with our own lives. We may be two now, but I promise you, I won’t leave you. No matter what happens. Even Death can’t stop me, even if he tried.”

  Pepa looked up at her brother, her tears still streaming down her cheek. “I-Is that true, Brunito? You really promise that?”

  “Of course. I vow that.” Bruno helped her stand up. “Forget the Encanto, forget everything. You know how we were told that even though Papa wasn’t around, he was still watching over us? I’m sure Julieta is with him now. That’s a reassuring thought, don’t you think?”

  “I-I guess so,” Pepa said, wiping a tear and the storm almost died down. “I just want to spend more time here, I want to be with our sister a little longer. Can you keep me company?”

  Bruno chuckled softly and smiled at her. “Like that’s even a question to ask.” 

The two spent countless hours talking to Julieta’s tombstone as if she was there. They updated her about everything that’s been happening. The Casita got destroyed and so did the mountains when they finally had enough of their mother’s harsh expectations. They told her that they were planning to move into the city with Felix (Agustin had no idea who he was and assumed he was a friend of theirs), and settle there for good, away from their old home. The plan was to find Julieta first, but… well Agustin already knew what happened next. 

Then, Pepa started to recount old childhood memories and wished Julieta was still around, so they could reunite with her.

If only they knew.

Julieta sat behind them, listening intently, pretending they were aware of her existence. She laughed every time Pepa told a funny memory or when Bruno was acting out one of his stage personas. Agustin watched from afar, not wanting to intervene in this family bonding moment.

Still, the sight of Julieta finally being surrounded by her family, yet feeling so disconnected at the same time was the loneliest thing he ever witnessed.

As they were about to finally leave, they stopped moving when a golden butterfly came and rested on Pepa’s nose. Bruno chuckled at that as she tried to shoo it away. The butterfly flew to Bruno’s hand and rested gently on his finger. 

They both smiled fondly at the butterfly, and from the looks of their faces, he knew they both felt Julieta’s presence somewhere. 

Once the butterfly flew away, the two headed out towards the gate. Julieta followed them, not wanting them to leave so soon. Agustin kept his distance. He watched her leave, part of him scared she was gonna go with them for good. But he quickly brushed those thoughts away. Don’t be selfish, Rojas. Why wouldn’t he want her to leave? It was the initial goal for the two of them, but he still couldn’t get out. Julieta could, but partially. A strange feeling crept into his mind that she finally could, and he would be alone once again. 

He wanted to act on these feelings and tell her to stop, but a part of him made him stunned. It’s as if the desire to let her stay wasn’t as strong as setting her free. He knew that she would just be miserable like him if she stayed, and he didn’t want that.

He loved her too much to the point he was willing to sacrifice his need for companionship for her freedom.

But still, his entire body felt ice-cold when Julieta was able to exit the gate. It had actually happened. Agustin noticed Julieta didn't seem to realize she finally got out as she continued to watch over her siblings until they were finally out of sight. 

She sighed and turned around and that’s when she noticed it. 

She was exactly five meters away from the entrance, and a smile started to grow on her face when she got out. Finally, freedom for Julieta.

  “Agustin, I’m out!” She exclaimed and having that confirmation verbally made Agustin die a little more if that was even possible. “Agustin, look! I’m out! I managed to get out! What are you waiting for?! Get over here! I think they’re gonna meet up with Felix at the nearest town, come on!” Julieta waved frantically and jumped her legs like a kid full of energy. 

  He wanted to be happy for her, but at any moment, he would break. Agustin tried to touch the gate, but the forcefield prevented him from doing so. “No, I can’t… I still can’t…” He fully expected to not be able to pass through, but it still hurts. 

  Julieta caught on to that as well, and just had that sad smile on her face. “Oh… It’s okay, Agustin. We can just see them next time-” She was about to enter again, but without thinking, Agustin pushed her out when she managed to get in and locked the gates. 

He knew that she would just phase through the gate like it was nothing, but him locking it wanted it to be a sign that he didn’t want her to come back in. Julieta fell from his shove and looked at him shocked, maybe even a little betrayed. That look alone was something Agustin hoped was the last time he would ever see it, and maybe the last time he would see her at all.

  “A-Agustin…?” Julieta choked back a sob as she tried to reach out to him. “Agustin, w-what are you doing…?” 

  “I’m so sorry, Julieta, but you’re not allowed to come back here anymore,” Agustin said, keeping any emotion out of his voice, trying to sound as cold as possible. “Go, leave. Never come back. Please. ”

  “No, Agustin, we made a promise! I’ll wait for you, we’re gonna leave together! Agustin, please! Don’t do this! Why are you doing this?! Agustin, you promised… we promised!”

  “Julieta, d-don’t make this harder than it already is…” His hands on the gate started to shake, his mind screaming at him to let her back in. “Just go! Leave! You’re already better off without me! Go to your siblings! Find heaven! Leave me be, I’m not worth it!”

  “At least tell me why! W-Why?! Agustin, I’m not leaving unless you tell me! Give me a good reason why I should leave!” Julieta screamed at him, holding the handle of the gates, and shook it when he kept silent, begging him for an answer. “Agustin!!”

  “Because I love you, okay?!” He screamed back, his eyes welling up in tears. “I love you so, so much. I love you to the point that it is eating me up inside the longer I let you stay with me! You’re already free and you’re missing the chance to be free and happy because of me! I’m not worth it! I want you to be happy! I want nothing more than for you to be at peace, so please, I am begging you, leave me! I will never be able to leave this place! I am bearing the curse of the consequences of my actions! I am filthy , and I don’t want you to be dragged into it! Go… and if you ever see my parents, tell them that I love them and I’m sorry… for everything.” 

  “Agustin-”

  He clenched his teeth and screamed, “I said go already! What more do you need me to say?! Just go, I don’t need you anymore!” His knees started to shake and it was almost impossible to fight back the tears. 

Julieta stepped back and he wanted to apologize for screaming at her. He didn’t want to go this far, but it was too late. When he looked up, she had that hurt look in her eyes and a hint of frustration. Julieta ran away, leaving Agustin for real this time.

Despite the tears, he smiled to himself, a bittersweet kind of smile.

At least she’s happy now , he thought. 

Thirteen… fourteen? Fifteen weeks?

Agustin lost track of time since that day. It was pointless. He wouldn’t wait for anything anymore. He already decided that this would be his eternal damnation.

People still continued to arrive here with a newly deceased person, but this time, he didn’t even attempt to comfort anyone. He just stood from afar as if they didn’t matter to him.

That apathetic kind of feeling came back, and he was content with it. If he felt nothing, then he should be able to tolerate his punishment better. He loved it, or at least he forced himself to.

Sleeping was impossible now. Before he met Julieta, he didn’t think sleeping was something necessary and could live with it, but now, he grew frustrated because he wanted to sleep. He wanted to pass the time, but it’s not like something would happen. It would be the same thing every day, why bother? 

It was miserable.

And he had no one to blame but himself for it. He wanted this. Still, it was the most empty feeling he could ever experience, and as much as he tried to love it, he absolutely despised it. It was lonely without Julieta, he felt so lost.

It was as if he was left wandering in a place where he would always return to where he started. Pointless. It was all pointless. 

One night. Someone came into the cemetery.

He had expected him to be accompanied by a coffin or more people would show up. Maybe it was a man who was visiting a dead friend, relative, or lover. Those were surprisingly rare for some reason, and Agustin didn’t seem to realize that up until now. But why nighttime of all times? It was a dangerous time to be out alone in the dark, and he could easily be lost. 

He wanted to warn the stranger, but he stopped himself.

It was pointless , Agustin thought. 

Though, this man got stranger and stranger. He walked around the grave like he was trying to find a specific one, but he was smiling. Why would he be smiling?

Agustin took a good look at him. He had an average height and wearing a white shirt with a collar. His hair was short and curly, and his almond skin was almost the same hue as his eyes. He had a soft gentle look, and for a moment, Agustin thought it was Bruno. Though the more he looked at him, he had a striking resemblance with Julieta when it came to their smiles and their eyes.

He shook his head, trying to look away from the man. He thought he was missing her so much that he must’ve been going crazy. I mean, maybe it could be a long-lost relative or someone completely unrelated. 

Before he could fully get those thoughts away, he felt a pang in his chest which made him scream. He turned around again to see what had happened, and the man stared back at him which horrified Agustin. 

He wasn’t looking at a tree or a tombstone, but at Agustin himself. 

Then his eyes wandered down to the stranger’s foot that was on top of Agustin’s grave. He immediately stepped back and put his hands up, like he didn’t come here to make trouble. 

  “I am so sorry. I didn't mean to step on it,” he spoke, his voice gentle and sweet. “I was looking for my daughter’s grave. Forgive me for intruding this late at night.”

  “Y-You can see me…?” Agustin asked, dumbfounded. “You can see me!”

  The stranger chuckled slightly and gave him a warm smile. “And I’m assuming you’re Agustin Rojas. My daughter told me so much about you.”

His blood ran cold. This was Julieta’s father. She mentioned having a dead father in one of their chats, but to actually see him in person…

  “I-I-”

  “My name is Pedro Madrigal. I don’t know if Julieta talks about me to you, but I guess she did. Good things, I hope. Pedro is fine, we technically look close to age despite being much older than you, so no need for formal titles.”

  “Y-You’re her dad?!” Agustin’s body started to shake, stepping away. “Y-You’re-”

  “At ease, mijo. I’m not here to cause trouble. Though, I did hear some things that you did to her.” Pedro looked at Agustin with the intent to kill, crossing his arms. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to berate you for that.” 

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I had to watch over Julieta when she left for the first time,” Pedro began to explain. “And when she died, I wanted to be there for her, but it wasn’t the time yet. She couldn’t get out of this place for some reason, and I had to watch over my other two miracles when they left. It’s a lot. Quite troublesome, really. But, when I finally talked to her for the first time, she told me about you. She wanted me to smack some sense into you. So, what seems to be the problem?”

  “How much did she tell you about me?”

 “Everything, actually. I know what you’re going through, but one thing Julieta and I don’t get is why you force her out of the cemetery. She said you loved her, but something doesn’t feel right. Something’s not adding up, don’t you think?”

  “I just… don’t want her to spend the rest of eternity with me,” Agustin replied. “She doesn’t deserve to suffer just because she wants to be with me. She deserves happiness.”

  “What makes you think you can’t leave?”

  “Well, because…” He clenched his fist. “Because I don’t think I’ll ever get over what I’ve done. It haunts me every waking moment of my life, no matter how much I try to avoid it. I wanted her to stay, but I didn’t want her to feel trapped. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make. Your daughter means the world to me.”

  “You and I sound alike,” Pedro said, approaching Agustin slowly. He flinched and thought Pedro was going to punch him. “Mijo, do you know how I died?”

  “Not much. Julieta doesn’t like talking about it.”

  “Well, I’ll keep this brief. When my triplets were just born, we were forced to flee. There were these soldiers that were chasing after us, and we were almost to safety. But, I had to make a choice. If I didn’t try to plead with them or try to distract them, everyone would be killed. My wife and children would be as well. I surrendered to the men, and…”

  “...you got killed,” Agustin finished. “I remember hearing a story like that years ago. So, it was you.”

  “Yes, it was me. Was it my biggest regret? Yes and no. No, because I got to keep my family and the others safe. They had their own safe haven.” Pedro’s smile fell and he had that sad look in his eyes, something that looked way too much like Julieta’s sad eyes. “Yes because… I never got to be with my family again. I was never there to help my wife raise the kids and the village. I was never there for my children. They’ve suffered so much, and all I could do was watch.” 

  “What’s this got to do with me?”

  “Because you made a sacrifice for the person you love, even if it would kill you inside. And sometimes in life, you do something so irreversible, that you either move on or let it consume you until you are a former shell of your old self. I know it’s easier said than done, but I think it’s time to accept that you did it. And that thing you did will never change, no matter how much you try. It’s already in the past, and what should matter is what you do from here. Believe me, you didn’t deserve to go through that, no one does. You’re miserable, I’ve been watching you from the sidelines. So please, no more being a masochist and letting yourself suffer because you think you deserve to suffer when you clearly don’t. I will give you time to accept and move on because things like this are hard to get over, and I completely understand. You get what I’m saying?”

  Agustin just nodded. “But your daughter won’t ever forgive me…”

  “Oh sure, she won’t forgive you but is still insistent on checking on you. Between us men, I think she loves you as much as you love her.” Pedro smirked, nudging Agustin.

  “W-What? But she never showed any signs?”

  “Have you ever been called oblivious?” 

  “Yes.”

  Pedro snapped his finger. “Bingo. Look, I have to go now. I still have to make sure Pepa, Bruno, and Felix make it safely to their hotel. I’ll tell Julieta I’ve talked to you. I trust you’d do the right thing-” He got cut off when Agustin hugged him. It was out of the blue and he didn’t expect such a reaction.

  “Thank you, sir. I-I… can you tell Julieta I’m sorry?”

  He chuckled at that and ruffled his hair. “You tell her that yourself once you leave. I’ll see you on the other side. Or you know, maybe tomorrow. Julieta would kill me if I didn’t frequently check up on you even though you’re not my son. Maybe my son-in-law works, don’t you think?”

With those words said, Pedro disappeared leaving Agustin alone. 

Sixteen weeks.

Agustin still couldn’t go through the barrier. 

But that wouldn’t stop him. Every day, he tried to get up and try to find peace. He was alone, and there wasn’t much to do. As promised, Pedro came back to visit and check up on the boy. 

Agustin tried to form habits that would calm himself or reassure himself whenever harmful thoughts came, and Pedro was around to support him. In a lot of ways, he really was like Julieta. 

It went like this for a week. 

He already accepted the fact that his inner turmoil will always be like a scar, fading, and healing, but will always be there wherever he goes. However, that desire to get his life back on track to find his own peace came back stronger than ever.  

Ever since he told Julieta to leave, he didn’t bother to fix the cemetery. Usually, the real workers came in and did most of the work, but for some reason, they haven’t come back in weeks. So, he pushed himself to clean the cemetery from every corner. He repainted some tombstones and cleaned the area, sweeping away the dry leaves. Pedro just watered the flowers, and Agustin would always catch him being surrounded by golden butterflies. He thought that was a weird thing to see.

And eventually, the cemetery was as good as new. Agustin realized this might be the last time he would ever fix up the place, but he’s glad it’s happening now.

When he thought he was finally ready, he told Pedro to leave.

  “You want me to leave? What for?” He asked.

  “I think I’m ready, but I need to do one last thing alone . Tell Julieta I’ll be coming. I mean, I hope it works,” Agustin said, his hands fidgeting. 

 Pedro placed an arm around Agustin. “You can do it, Agustin! I believe in you! Good luck with whatever you need to do. I’ll tell Julieta the good news.” He waved goodbye before disappearing again.

Agustin took one last look around the place that had been his home for months. He was strangely gonna miss it, but he also wanted to leave as soon as possible. Finally, he will be able to be free from his burdens, mostly. 

Then, he sat in front of his grave, staring at it silently. 

Every part of his body was fidgeting. He wasn’t fully confident he could escape, but he was willing to try. He wanted to fully make peace with himself, and he was going to do it right now.

  “Hey.” He waved at his tombstone, already feeling stupid for talking to himself in the weirdest way possible. “Um… it’s been a while. I mean, I see you every day, but it’s been a while since I actually talked to you. I know we’ve been through a lot ever since I died, and I’ve made some really stupid decisions. I’m sorry I made you go through that.” He heavily sighed, feeling a tear form at the corner of his eye. “I mean it. I am so fucking sorry I did this to us. I’m sorry I couldn’t hold on a little longer. I’m sorry I didn’t back out when I still had the chance. You had every right to be mad and upset at me. What I did was unforgivable, and could never be changed. But I promise you, things can still get better and they will be. I am willing to go through that painful road of recovery. If it means we could both be at peace. I forgive you, Agustin. It’s time to put that behind us now.”

After a silent moment to let the heartfelt message sink in, he laughed. He facepalmed, feeling utterly touched and stupid for talking to his corpse as if he was another person. But that was the last thing that needed to be done. He strangely feels so much lighter. 

He stood up and dusted off his pants before walking towards the gate.

  “Okay, Agustin, this is it.” He told himself before stretching his arm out. To his delight, his entire hand managed to phase through. Hesitation entered his mind, but he was willing to risk it all. Screw it , he thought, and jumped through the gate, fully making it out. “I…I did it! I DID IT! I’M OUT! WHOOO!”

Then awkward silence came and he blushed when he realized he was the only man in the middle of nowhere. 

Or so he thought.

  “Congrats.” A familiar voice greeted him. It was Julieta! He was overjoyed to hear her beautiful voice again and Agustin immediately ran in her direction but stopped when he realized she wasn’t looking happy herself. She had her arms crossed, and he couldn’t help but think of how she looked so much like Pedro.

  “J-Julieta…”

  “Hi, Agustin.”

  “Julieta, I am so sorry I did that to you! I never wanted to push you or make you feel like you weren’t needed! I promised I will do everything to make it up to you! You don’t have to forgive me now, but-”

  Julieta hugged him, and that was enough to bring him to tears. He already missed having her so close to him. “Agustin, you stupid, idiotic man! Never do that again to me!” She cried and Agustin wrapped his arms around her. “I thought I almost lost you, Agustin! I couldn’t stand it! I love you too much to be away from you!”

  “Shh, shh, it’s okay. I’m here now. I made it out…”

  “And I’m so proud of you! You did it by yourself! I love you so much, Agustin!” 

  “I love you too!” He cupped her face and stared at her eyes, knowing the pain yet relief she was feeling right now. She stared back at him, and as if his body could move on its own, he kissed her when he got enough courage (or stupidity) to do so. 

Julieta was in shock but soon melted into the kiss, putting her arms around his nape, deepening the kiss a bit. When they pulled away, they were out of breath. They continued to stare at each other, enjoying the silence between them, a much more comfortable silence for Agustin. 

  “I love you so much! It was torture to be so far away from you!” Agustin tells her. “Please, let’s never do that again.”

  Julieta was crying happy tears and she gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Yeah, let’s never do that again.” 

  “Ahem!” Pedro coughed which caught the attention of the two ghosts. “I’m still here, you know?”

  “Oh god, dad!” Julieta blushed, hiding her face on Agustin’s chest. “Why are you still here?!”

  Pedro shrugged. “You didn’t tell me to leave, so…”

Agustin’s face was reddened as well, and Pedro seeing his daughter and her boyfriend being flustered caused him to snicker. 

  “Come on, you crazy lovebirds, the afterlife is this way.” Pedro pointed east from the cemetery. Julieta followed. 

There was light bickering between father and daughter, and Agustin couldn’t believe he was actually going to move on to this stage of life. He was going to see his parents, and he would spend the rest of eternity with Julieta (and her father).

Everything was finally happening, and Julieta looked back at him. She gave him the smile he always loved and stretched out her hand to him, expecting him to take it.

  “Well? Come on, loverboy! We don’t have all eternity.” Julieta giggled.

Agustin chuckled and took her hand gently, feeling the warmth from her skin. He lets himself be taken by her, taking him to what he would hope would be heaven. 

And he didn’t look back once.