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Pishtacos
My sisters and I have been walking for hours, carrying Pita on a makeshift gurney of sticks and cloth. The chupacabra’s attack left her leg swollen and infected. We see a strange, dark shape approaching from a distance. “Hey,” Velia shouts out. “What’s that?” I look over to see it, a black car, which is strange. We didn’t think anyone would be out here. Panicked, I hurry to bring my sisters away from it, as it could be someone who may turn us in to the authorities if they’ve seen the news at all. We’re not able to go far, as we’ve been travelling for hours up a hill in the hot afternoon and our legs are about to give out. The car swerves and pulls over right in front of us. A man sits in the driver’s seat, wearing the clothes of a priest, but he has a broad rimmed hat that covers his face with its shadow. Juanita tilts her head and whispers to me, “Who is that?” “He looks weird,” Velia adds. The man in the car suddenly interrupts, “You all seem tired, what are you doing out here? Would you like a ride?” I open my mouth to say no. After all, after encountering so many disguised monsters, why would I get into some random man’s car? Suddenly, Delia and Velia cut me off. “Yes please!” The priest smiles and opens his car door, “Come in then!”
I try to say something, but I strangely can’t get the words out of my mouth. Was it because I’m too tired to even speak? My sisters hop in and carry Pita, who's still sleeping, in too. I swallow hard and get in too, feeling as if I’m in a trance. I don’t feel the need to protest anymore, I don’t feel like I can anyway even if I wanted to. My worry washes away slowly. It’ll be fine right? He seems nice. The car’s inside is cool and refreshing, a perfect place to finally rest. My sisters around me all doze off to sleep, but I fight to stay awake. “Your earrings,” The driver says, “They look ancient, like they’re from the gods.” I nod. “They were a gift…” He grins. “I’m happy to help fellow devoted religious followers!” My eyes suddenly feel heavy. Like I have to sleep, probably from the tiresome walking from before, which had drained my energy. As my eyelids fall over my eyes, I see the glint of something sharp and shiny, like a machete, and in the rearview mirror, a malicious grin on that priest’s face, then my vision goes dark and my mind goes blank.
Sometime while sleeping, I feel as if I’m floating around in a dreamlike state in a pool of darkness where I can’t even see my own hands, then I hear a voice which sounds like mine. “He never asked where you’re going.” The voice sounds like it’s from everywhere. “This isn’t right. There’s something wrong.” the voice begins to get louder and echoes off pitch-black nothing. “Wake up. Wake up!” It yells, and my eyes snap open.
The ground is cold and hard like stone. I’m in a cave with no idea how I ended up here. My sisters are scattered around me and bound with rope. There’s unlit candles and the strong, rusty smell of blood. My breath pauses, I’m so scared I can’t breathe. I see the man with a machete in his hand, standing over Pita. All my sisters are asleep, and I can’t find the words to wake them up. The man lifts his arm, about to strike, “This kid will make a nice, fatty meal!” He mutters as he licks his lips. That moment, a rush of adrenaline flows through my veins. It’s almost as if time pauses. I see the sharp blade of a machete broken off nearby, and use it to cut at the ropes off my arms by rubbing them against it. Quickly, I untie the ropes around my ankles and tackle the man, while shouting nonsense in rage. I punch him unconscious as my sisters wake from all the commotion. I gasp and grab Pita, picking her up and untying her, then helping my other sisters too. I haven’t calmed down yet, and I won’t until my sisters and I are out of this cave and safe back at Abuelita’s house.
With all my sisters free, we stand up and just stare at each other with eyes as wide as an owl’s. Velia speaks first, “What was that?” She whispers, still gasping from the shock of waking up to this. “This reminds me of something, I think I’ve read about that monster before,” Juanita stutters out. “Pishtaco. It’s basically a murderer who kills you and eats your fat! That means, he was about to…” She trails off. “Nevermind that!” I command, “We have to leave, now.” I look back at the unconscious body of this so-called Pishtaco, and to my surprise, it’s gone. With another rush of adrenaline, I rush out while dragging my sisters along with me, and Pita begins to cry while running. “I was about to die! I was about to die!” She stumbles as she runs, her leg is still swollen and in pain. I quickly grab her hand to guide her and help her keep her balance. Delia shouts, “It’s over now, just run! I don’t want to stay anywhere near this place for a second longer!”
We all manage to get back on the path to Abuelita’s house, and we walk quicker than ever before and are now more alert too, scared of ever having to encounter something like that again. I think about that moment again and again. I didn’t even use the ear pendant, too scared for my sisters’ life to even think. I question my thoughts at the very start. Why had I let my guard down? Why couldn't I stop myself or my sisters from going in that car? Can I ever trust anyone now? Are there more monsters after us than expected? Juanita snaps me out of my thoughts. “We should be almost there! Come on!” I whisper to myself, “Soon, we’ll be back at home, safe, and I won’t have to worry about something like that happening again.”
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