The car rattles as we drive down the dusty alleyway. Mum and Dad are flipping the map as if it’s in another language. The wheels screech as we make a sharp turn on to the main road. “Wow,” I murmur.
An eye-catching banner with the words ‘Cinco de Mayo’ is strung across the street. Cinco de Mayo. It sounds so familiar yet its meaning is buried somewhere deep within me.
“The Fifth of May,” Mum says, as if she is reading my mind. Her tone makes me feel stupid. “It’s the whole reason we came on this holiday to Mexico.”
“Exotic smells swim up my nose, making my tummy rumble. I race off, ignoring my parents as they scream at me. Lights and music swirl around me until I fall into the chaos and magic of the night”
As she speaks, Dad pulls into a carpark aggressively. I open the door. Exotic smells swim up my nose, making my tummy rumble. I race off, ignoring my parents as they scream at me. Lights and music swirl around me until I fall into the chaos and magic of the night.
I pull myself up from the ground and glance down. Flowing against my ankles is a delicate ocean blue dress, the light tinting it purple. I am surrounded by other graceful girls who look exactly like me. Soft music starts playing. My feet sway to the beat and my dress twirls around my tanned legs.
People on the street cheer and clap as I glide along the road. Exhilaration rushes over me. I stumble, then trip over my beautiful dress and fall. I close my eyes in embarrassment, afraid of the crowd’s reaction.
Slowly, I open my eyes. I’m shocked. Once again I have been transported, but this time I’m wearing a crisp white apron. My hand smashes a beautiful green avocado until it is silky smooth. Sweat drips down my forehead as my hand pulses. Chefs behind me yell food orders and send my brain into a panic.
”We need a new pot, stat!” screams a boy behind me.
”I’ll get it,” I try to say calmly. I bend down to grab the pot but as soon as I stand up, I’m no longer holding it.
There is a gorgeous brown guitar in my hands, playing a beautiful melody to the crowd. Screams and cheers flood the streets as the people on stage sing, dance and play amazing instruments. My voice trembles in disbelief. I shut my eyes. My brain is going crazy.
Wow, I think as the celebrations continue. My eyes open again, expecting to see the crowd. No one is there.
I scramble around and notice that I’m back on the street where I fell over. What happened? Is it all a dream? Or is it just the magic of Cinco de Mayo?
