Shadows and Light by Selenia Paz

Author:Selenia Paz [Paz, Selenia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: la llorona, el charro, mexican folklore, children's books with ghosts, spooky stories, ghosts and vampires, middle grade fantasy, aztec mythology
Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing
Published: 2020-10-27T07:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

M

iguel had been looking through his backpack and wondering if he had even thought to add matches to his supplies when Death tapped his scythe gently on the ground and a large flame burst from the ground.

Miguel stopped searching and looked up at Death. “I didn’t know you could make fire.”

Death found a large branch and dragged it over to the fire, then began to use his scythe for support as he lowered himself down to sit on the branch.

Miguel began to stand in order to make his way over to Death to see if he could help him sit down, but Death raised his hand to object.

Some of the butterflies had begun to leave the trees, flying around them and then making their way higher and higher, stopping to gather with other butterflies almost as if they were meeting and exchanging greetings.

As the sun continued to move overhead, more butterflies began to leave the trees, taking flight all around and encircling them before flying higher together to enjoy the warmth of the sun.

A bright golden monarch butterfly flew low near them, enjoying the warmth of their fire and landing on Conde’s nose. Death laughed as they watched Conde try to stay perfectly still while trying to sniff the butterfly with his nose. It struck Miguel how familiar Death’s laugh sounded, even though he had not really heard it that often. It sounded like the laughter of a friend.

Finally, the butterfly lifted off from Conde’s snout and circled around, stopping in front of Miguel before finally reaching Death and hovering in front of him for a few seconds before joining the other butterflies circling them and flying high above.

“You know, some people believe that when someone joins the afterlife, that their spirits are able to fly on the wings of the monarch butterflies and make the journey to the Mexican forests.”

Miguel reached out to touch Conde’s soft fur. “Yes. Abuelo used to tell us about the journey of the butterflies, how the forests were covered with millions of butterflies. I don’t think I could imagine it then, at least, not the way it really looks.”

“Wouldn’t that be so incredible, to take a journey on the wings of one of these butterflies, to see the world from high above, and to travel all the way to this beautiful place?”

Miguel scooted closer to the fire, placing his backpack next to him so that Conde would be able to rest his head on top of it.

“Abuelo used to say that he was thinking of asking if his soul could take the journey with the butterflies, as least for a little while. We used to laugh..” Miguel said, his throat tightening. “He didn’t ask?”

Death was silent for a few moments. “No, he did not ask. I think...I think he felt there were other things he had to be sure of before he could go on such a journey.”

“Like me? Like what would happen to us?” Miguel asked, looking deep into the flames of the fire.

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