Milo's Journey

Chapter 16

Colonel Santana looked at his wife and then at his daughter. Diego had his arm protectively around Adriana and was sitting quietly.

“Milo, I can’t even begin to understand the gifts that you and Adriana have, but what you are talking about is finding a lost God and restoring him to what—the underworld—and destroying a demon in the process. Are we really contemplating this?”

“Andrew,” Elena said, placing her hand on Colonel Santana’s arm, “this prophecy has been passed down in my family for generations. Every daughter was taught the song and tasked to pass it on for the day when Atabey would call on us to fulfill our duty to her.”

Natalia reached over, took Elena’s hand, and looked her in the eye. “Welcome home,” she said, smiling. “I wish it were under better circumstances, but now we have to do what we can to support our children. My mother, before she made her final journey, told me that a time would come when the world of the dead would touch the living—when the throne would stand empty and Opiyelguabiran would leave his place at the gate. I have a feeling that time has come.”

Suddenly, Piyelito got up from his place on the floor and began looking at Adriana and growling. Everyone stopped and looked at the little dog, trying to understand what had set him off.

Jose looked down at him. “Piyelito, what’s wrong, hermanito?”

The dog looked up at Jose and howled.

As Milo looked on, he saw Jose jerk as if someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water on him. Jose slumped back on the couch and closed his eyes. Milo panicked and moved over to him.

“Querido, ¿qué te pasa?” Milo said, going to check on him.

Jose opened his eyes and looked at Milo. Milo saw his pupils were dilated, making his light brown eyes almost black. Milo didn’t touch him but spoke quietly.

“Who are you, and why have you taken Jose?” Milo said calmly.

Adriana and Diego stood up and were about to come over, but Milo motioned for them to stay back. Piyelito jumped up into Jose’s arms and whined. Jose looked down at the little dog and smiled.

“It is okay, little one. Do not fear. Your master is fine—just asleep right now. Thank you for warning me.”

The entity residing in Jose’s body looked over at Adriana where she stood by Diego. Pointing to a place over her left shoulder, he said in a firm voice, “Come out of the darkness and be revealed.”

Suddenly, a shadow appeared near Adriana. Elena crossed herself and was about to speak, but Jose was quicker.

“Leave this place and return to your master. She is not for you. The time is coming—old debts will be settled.”

The shadow seemed to shudder, and then it simply exploded and vanished.

Milo was about to speak when the entity in Jose’s body looked at him, freezing him with its glance.

“He loves you so much. Even now I feel his love like the warmth of the sun. Take care of him. I will not be able to protect him, as it is not my time yet, but soon—help him understand who he is.”

Jose reached out his hand and touched Milo’s face. “So amazing,” Jose said, and then dropped his hand and slumped back on the couch, eyes closed.

Milo snapped out of the trance Jose’s actions had caught him in and reached out to gently shake Jose’s shoulder.

Jose slowly opened his eyes and found everyone in the room staring at him, including Piyelito perched on his lap.

“What happened? Why is everyone staring at me?” Jose asked, confused.

“Querido, do you remember anything?” Milo asked, looking at him.

“I remember Piyelito barking at Adriana and then howling. After that it kind of goes a little hazy,” Jose said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“We had a visitor, and he used your body to make his appearance,” Milo said quietly, so as not to scare Jose too much.

“What?” Jose sat up and looked at Milo. “How is that possible? I don’t have the gift. I’ve been around you since first grade. If I had the gift, it would have manifested by now.”

“Sometimes a powerful spirit can manifest in someone even when they aren’t gifted. The entity that manifested in you was very powerful. It recognized the shadow that had been following Adriana, commanded it to show itself, and then banished it,” Milo said gently.

Elena looked at Jose curiously. “You have never passed muertos before?”

“Never. My guides are very close to me, but I have never exhibited the talent for trance mediumship,” Jose said, taking Milo’s hand. Milo could feel him trembling and knew he was shaken.

“It is okay, querido. It has passed. You are safe,” Milo said, then looked at Elena.

“Yes, Jose. Don’t think on it. It is over,” Elena said, patting him on the knee.

Natalia stood and went into the kitchen. She returned with a small shot glass filled with a clear liquid. She handed it to Jose and told him to drink it. Jose took the small glass and drank it down quickly. He coughed as the fiery liquor coursed down his throat.

“Mama, what was that?” Milo asked, patting Jose on the back to help him breathe.

“Just a bit of rum to calm the muertos that are still hovering around him,” Natalia said seriously.

Milo took a moment and concentrated. He saw the outlines of Jose’s gypsy and Gypsy Prince standing behind him, looking worried.

“Mama, how did you know?” Milo asked.

“Since the night Singing Jaguar returned through you, I have been able to see the muertos again. My sight has been restored,” Natalia said, tears in her eyes as she looked at her son. “I will walk this path with you, mijo. I won’t let you and Adriana face it alone.”

Milo stood and hugged his mother, tears streaming down his face.

“Te quiero mucho, Mama,” Milo said.

“No, Natalia. They will not walk it alone. We will be there together,” Elena said, taking Natalia’s hand.

Diego, Jose, and Adriana’s father—Colonel Santana—stood up.

“We are in as well. There is no way I’m letting my daughter do this without me,” Colonel Santana said adamantly.

Adriana went over and hugged her father.

“So what’s the plan?” Diego asked, looking at Milo.

This ends tonight’s binge, come back on Wednesday to continue Milo’s Journey