Shadowshaper

While working on a new mural, Sierra notices that one of the painted figures in another fading mural nearby—Papa Acevado—has a real tear coming out of his eye. Family friend Manny (who runs the local newspaper) asked Sierra to paint a mural on an abandoned construction building called the Tower, telling her that her Grandpa Lázaro would encourage her to do it if he could; Lázaro recently had a stroke and cannot speak. While she paints her dragon mural, Sierra receives a text from her best friend, Bennie, reminding her about the first party of the summer that night. As Sierra prepares to leave, she notices that Papa Acevado’s mural suddenly looks frightened: “[…] his face seemed twisted with shock somehow, eyebrows raised, the edges of his mouth turned down beneath the unruly mustache” (4). Sierra overhears Manny on an urgent phone call and learns a dead body has been found nearby. Sierra goes home to get ready for the party, still thinking about Papa Acevado’s teardrop.