The Latin Alien

The Latin Alien

Doña Leonides lives in the town of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, located up in the cen­tral hills of the island. Many people know about this town because recently it has been the focus of news reports. Many people from there claim to have seen the goat-sucking monster more commonly known as the chupacabras. Canovanas is another town that has been a victim of these beings. Many people claim that at night these ugly-looking creatures kill domestic animals.

Last month, Leonides lost twenty rabbits and about ten chickens. Mr. Joaquin, her neighbor, lost eight goats, fifteen rabbits and some chickens, too. Many domestic ani­mals have died in the claws of these monsters. The only strange clue left on the dead animals are two perforations similar to the ones vampires leave on their victims.

No one has been lucky enough to catch one of these slimy, sly creatures, yet many people claim to have seen them. Everyone is watching out for them. Many people have suffered sleepless nights because of these strange happenings. Some people say the government doesn't want to release information on the matter, but many cases have been reported and presented on TV, and even covered on the "Mystery Files" show. Other people say these creatures must be aliens. For the last twenty years or more, peo­ple have been claiming to have had encounters of the first, second or even third kind with these creatures. In fact, on a recent talk show a man insisted that he had had direct communication with an alien. Who knows what else people will come up with?

It's Thursday evening and Leonides turns on the TV to watch the news. The latest release is that some engineer from New York has disappeared in El Yunque rain forest. What could have happened to this man? How did he get lost? Only God knows! Ms. Leonides is sure that these creatures have something to do with this missing man. She knows the alien headquarters were established at the very top of El Yunque.

Panic invades her and immediately she starts closing all the windows in her house. She suddenly hears strange noises coming from outside, bushes moving and animals crying. "Dear God, protect us from these strange evils," she prays, shivering. She has her rosary made of little white beads hanging from her neck. Believing this will protect her from all evil somehow eases her mind.

Feeling very tense, she sits on her sofa, listening carefully to the experts on aliens on TV, who assure everyone that this lost tourist was abducted. Three days have gone by and there is still no trace or sign of life from the tourist. Leonides knows that there have been reports of people who have disappeared in this dark, sinister forest in the past.

Tania, Leonides' niece, who is about nineteen years old, walks in through the front door having just heard the news about the missing tourist. She says, "If this man was on his way to Mt. Britton, which is approximately an hour and a half's walk, something must have caught his attention to pull him away from the crowd. Why didn't he follow the paths made by the people that walk to the top? I'm sure he was up to no good. Either that or he had too many piña coladas before he started his journey."

"Tania," Leonides says in a demanding voice, "please don't joke about this. It's a seri­ous matter."

Tania ignores her aunt and quickly walks out the door.

***

A week has gone by and Leonides has not missed the news for any reason. She does­n't know the missing man, but prays for him. She goes to sleep and every now and then opens an eye and tunes in her ears to the noises of the night.

It's 5:00 p.m. Monday, time for the Channel 2 news. She's

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