Coco Page #8

MIGUEL:

Señor de la Cruz? Please don't be

mad. I'm Miguel, your great-great

grandson... I need to borrow this.

Heart in his throat, Miguel lifts the guitar off its mount.

Unbeknownst to him, some marigold petals in the mausoleum

begin to sparkle.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Our family thinks music is a curse.

None of them understand, but I know

you would have. You would've told

me to follow my heart. To seize my

moment!

He backs up, in full view of the painting.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

So if it's all right with you, I'm

gonna play in the plaza, just like

you did!

30.

Confidence building, he strums it once.

The air around him vibrates -- radiating like a shock wave.

The petals on the ground whirl and surge with light for just

a moment. Miguel is visibly taken aback. What just

happened?

Suddenly, a flashlight shines in the window of the mausoleum.

VOICES (O.S.)

The guitar! It's gone! Somebody

stole de la Cruz's guitar! The

window's broken, look.

Miguel hears keys jangling and the door unlocking. A

GROUNDSKEEPER enters with a flashlight.

GROUNDSKEEPER:

Alright, who's in there?

Startled, Miguel puts down the guitar.

MIGUEL:

I... I'm sorry! It's not what it

looks like! De la Cruz is my...

The groundskeeper walks straight through Miguel! He doesn't

even see him!

GROUNDSKEEPER:

There's nobody here!

EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT

A panicked Miguel runs out, trying to figure out what's going

on! But the people in the cemetery walk through him too.

Suddenly he hears a familiar voice.

MAMÁ

Miguel!

Miguel turns to see Papá and Mamá still searching for him.

MIGUEL:

Mamá!

PAPÁ

Miguel! Come home!

He reaches for his parents, but goes straight through them.

31.

PAPÁ

Where are you, Miguel?!

Frantic, Miguel trips and falls into an open grave. A nearby

woman gasps and peeks over the ledge of the grave.

WOMAN:

Dios mío! Little boy, are you

okay?

She reaches into the grave.

WOMAN (CONT'D)

Here, let me help you.

Miguel takes her hand and she pulls him out.

MIGUEL:

Thanks, I--

They see each other face to face. The woman is a skeleton!

Miguel screams! She does too!

Miguel backs away. He turns to see another skeleton. He

falls backwards and scoots away frantically. He bumps into

another skeleton whose head falls off and lands in Miguel's

hands.

SKELETON HEAD:

Do you mind?

MIGUEL:

Ahhh!

SKELETON HEAD:

Ahhh!

MIGUEL:

AHHH!

Miguel tosses the head away from him and turns to see the

whole cemetery is teeming with skeletons! And they can all

see him!

He races off and hides behind a grave. After a moment, he

peeks over the headstone to watch the skeletons engaging with

their living families.

One couple dances.

Another man reaches for offerings on his grave, which

solidify in his hands when he takes them.

32.

A couple of skeletons coo over a toddler.

SKELETON ABUELA:

Look how big she's getting!

Suddenly Dante surprises Miguel and licks him on the cheek.

Miguel screams.

MIGUEL:

Dante?! You can see me? W-wait!

What's going on?!

Dante barks, points, and bounds through the crowd.

MIGUEL:

Dante! Dante!

Miguel gives chase until -­ BAM! He runs smack into a

mustached skeleton and falls to the ground. The skeleton's

bones break apart and scatter. The head pops up.

MIGUEL:

I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

PAPÁ JULIO

Miguel?!

Miguel tries to gather the scattered bones.

TÍA ROSITA

Miguel?

TÍA VICTORIA

Miguel?

The bones magically pull away from Miguel.

PAPÁ JULIO

You're here! HERE here!

PAPÁ JULIO reconstitutes himself.

PAPÁ JULIO (CONT'D)

And you can see us?!

TÍA ROSITA charges through Papá Julio, sending his bones

scattering again. She grabs Miguel, hugging him tight.

TÍA ROSITA

Our Migueli-ti-ti-ti-ti-to!

Miguel, smothered by Rosita's ample ribcage, struggles for

air.

33.

MIGUEL:

(muffled)

Remind me how I know you?

TÍA ROSITA

We're your family, mijo!

Tía Rosita's ofrenda photo flashes in Miguel's memory.

MIGUEL:

Tía... Rosita?

TÍA ROSITA

Sí!

He looks at Papá Julio, whose head is still turned the wrong

way. TÍA VICTORIA straightens it.

MIGUEL:

Papá Julio?

PAPÁ JULIO

Hola.

MIGUEL:

Tía Victoria?

Tía Victoria pokes Miguel's cheek, skeptical.

TÍA VICTORIA

He doesn't seem entirely dead.

A living person ambles through Miguel's non-corporeal form.

TÍA ROSITA

He's not quite alive either...

PAPÁ JULIO

We need Mamá Imelda. She'll know

how to fix this!

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