Forget what you think you know about death. In Mexico, it’s not something to fear — it’s something to celebrate. Every year from October 31st to November 2nd, the country bursts into color, scent, sound, and memory for what might be the most magical holiday on the planet: Día de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead.

You don’t just arrive at the Zone of Silence. You’re led there—by curiosity, by rumor, or by something stranger. The last gas station fades behind you. The road turns to dirt. Your phone goes silent. Then, somewhere between the dust and the heat haze, you realize you’ve entered a place that doesn’t care much for the laws of physics.