The knot in her stomach made her want to vomit, and her throat was on fire - if only she could cry - give in to the overwhelming pain, fear, and exhaustion. She felt like giving up hope. but she couldn't. No. not now. "Strength Mel, courage Mel"
"Please Sparo, don't hide from me! . Its - Its not safe!" Tears sprung to Meli's eyes as she pushed past the few panicking people on the roads. Most were at home already, and those left were also rushing for shelter.
'Where could he be?' she wondered. 'Pup'll kill me if I return home without him!' Meli couldn't think clearly, but she was sure of one thing - if she didn't find him and bring him home very soon, he would die the most horrible death imaginable.
So would she, but that was beside the point. Pup had always loved Sparo more then her, and he would never forgive her if she came home without him. Mel had tried hard all her life to please him, but she never did succeed - she wasn't pretty like her friends, and would never get a good husband; and she couldn't sew, or cook, or work hard - she would always end up climbing trees or daydreaming.
She had been made to mind Sparo for the morn, while she did her chores, but Sparo had a habit of running away from her.
"Sparo! Oh, Sparo, don't do this to me! The chupacabras'll get you - they're coming Sparo; its not safe!" even at 5 years of age, Sparo still didn't understand how dangerous they were - he had never seen one close up - he had never even seen at a distance, their large red eyes peering at something; and their long claws tensing before they pounced on it. He had never seen their evil glare; and when the people inspected the damage they had done, he was kept safely at home
Meli continued calling for her little brother, but tears were pouring down her face and she couldn't see clearly. Suddenly, out of the gloom of a crack between two buildings, came a glowing, smiling, childish face.
"Hey, Mel! Time to go home?" Mel wept with relief, but soon her anger took over, and she slapped his face, scolding him hysterically.
"Sparo, you had me so scared! How could do that to me? I thought the Chupacabras would get you - I thought I'd never see you again! I told you not to run off - you're always running off! I - I just can't cope - pup'll give me a hiding again - you bad boy! And you don't care do you ?! You like to see me get into trouble!"
And unfortunately that was the truth of it. Sparo loved Meli dearly; but he was so young, he though only of himself, and nothing of Meli's fear. Meli sighed angrily, scooped him into her arms, and ran home.
"Where have you been, girl!" Her pup yelled, red faced; as soon as she got in the door. Her mama grabbed Sparo and hugged him tight; but her pup was infuriated with Mel - he pushed her roughly against the wall, where she lost her grip on the floor, and fell, hitting the corner of a bed, with her back. Yelping, she bit her lip to stop the tears, and stared fearfully up to him.
"You're completely self-centred; you never think about anyone except yourself - you wouldn't care if Sparo died! Whenever I trust you with Sparo, you lose him! I've always known you were the devils child - you don't care do you, you self centred brat!" With each sentence, he kicked her, his wooden boot bruising and cutting her legs. She slid further and further away from him, sheltering her head with her arms, her whole body shaking. Her mam thought desperately of what to do, but being a woman; what right did she have to stand against her husband? She didn't want to anger him more, but she couldn't let his go on - oh, it had happened countless times before, but he was so outraged this time, she was scared he would injure Mel permanently her or do something worse to her. "Kluhan, Kluhan dear - leave off, now .the chupacabras will be here soon, and if they hear us they'll come and attack us!"
Kluhan gave Meli a final kick. "I'll deal with you later, child!" he hissed, his voice teeming with hatred. Meli didn't look up, but continued weeping silently in the corner.
It had always been like this, her life. Her pup, she doubted, had ever really loved her - from the moment she was born she had disappointed him. There wasn't a lot she could do about it though - it wasn't just that she was a failure at all things a girl of 13 should be able to do - but just that she was female meant so much to her pup. She doubted she would be treated much different in another home - all females were unwanted in families - they couldn't earn money, they had to marry (with a dowry paid for by their pup), and they were thought of as lesser human beings. If there were a choice between whether a male or female should be attacked by a chupacabra, then it would always be the female that would go. That's why she couldn't return home, without Sparo. Her pup would think she had sacrificed him, for her own life; and in his eyes that would be the worst thing she could do.
But Meli dreamed about a world where things would be better. That's how she differed from the other girls; and the main reason she disappointed her father so much. She wanted life to be different, and she couldn't accept that it would always be this way. Instead of doing her chores, she would often fall into a daydream. Her father wanted her to marry as soon as possible, so that she should cease to be a worry to him. He had a few young men in mind, although all were poorer then her pup would like - Mel knew she wasn't the kinda girl a man would want to marry - but she couldn't help it. The only fellows who would marry her, were men who were so poor, they had little choice.
Mel lifted her tearstained face from her knees, and listened. Her house was silent, and there wasn't a sound to be heard outside. Mel shivered. Sparo's eyes were wide with fear, as he clung tightly to his mama. He was just little, and though he had run from Mel earlier, his fun was replaced by dread, when the real danger came. The silence was deadly. A chill breeze blew in from the crack in the wall. Suddenly Kluhan sat up. A rumble of hooves and hissing, sounded in the distance; coming closer and closer. Screeches from the chupacabras broke the silence. A flutter of feathers from the chooks, barks from the hounds, baas from the goats and sheep, and whinnies from the horses showed the panic and fear from the animals. Mam put her hands over Sparo's ears and pulled his face to her chest. Mel covered her ears, and shut her eyes. Cries rose from the animals. Suddenly the most awful sound crept to their ears. "Mama! Mama, help - mamaaaa!" Mel took her hands from her ears, and stared in anguish toward the door, towards the high -pitched shriek. She wanted to run out and save the child - but she couldn't without killing herself, and family. 'No, Mel!,' She reproached herself, 'leave it. don't think about it. you can't do anything now!'. She covered her ears again, pressing so hard it hurt, and buried her head in her lap. But she could still hear it. The ear-piercing cry from the child rose to a wail, and then stopped altogether. Mel gasped, but quickly covered her mouth. Had the beasts heard? No, the noise from the animals had drowned it out. After a while the noise lessened, and the chupacabras scampered away. Sparo clung to his mama's dress, his body shaking, and refusing to let go. She patted him "its all right, baby, they're gone now- hush- its okay" But Sparo, continuing to cling tightly, shaking his head and crying hysterically "No! No! No!" Mel saw her Pup give Sparo a hard look - boys are meant to be courageous - but he left him, opened the door and went outside. Mel followed, and they stood with the other townspeople, inspecting the havoc.
"Toya! Toya!" a mother ran to the child and scooped her up in her arms. A gash in the child's side leaked blood, and there was a wound in her neck, and scratch marks on her arms. The mother crumpled to the ground, still holding her daughter, and wailing loudly. Her husband looked at his daughter, for a moment, his eyes furious; then turned and strode away. The townspeople watched him leave, in silence, and a few stared sadly at the mother and daughter; but Mel could tell what was on their minds - 'At least the child wasn't a son' - as if it would be that much worse for the family. But none said this - it would be too cold hearted, right now. Instead, some of the ladies got to talking about the attacks.
"That was the second person this week; - and a child!" one tutted, sorrowfully.
"I told you - I've lived in this town for 70 odd years - and before, the attacks were manageable; but in the last decade the chupacabras have increased in size and numbers, beyond management - We can't just keep living like this!" another commented.
"But what other choice do we have?" asked the first lady.
Mel stopped listening, and walked over to where the men were sorting out the animals. 5 sheep lay, with their tongues hanging out, and fur stained pink. Chooks' feathers were scattered randomly around, and the chooks left were still screetching wildly. A horse lay on the dusty land, blood seeping from a deep cut in his side, and mixing with the mud. Mel stooped to feel its neck.
"Over here!" she cried. "This ones still alive!"
Two men came over, and checked its wound.
"Naw," one said, shaking his head, "He won't make it. He's lost too much, blood and the wound is deep"
"Oh, please!" Mel cried, broken hearted "He's alive! Give him a chance!"
But the other man shook his head. "Look, his legs broke. He'll never walk again!"
Mel started to protest, but the first man looked at her, in annoyance. "Go home girl! You're just being a nuisance!"
He stooped and slit the horses neck with his knife; and the horse stopped breathing. Mel turned and ran back home, trying not to look at the animals. She tripped on a goat, in the process, and ripped her dress. 'Oh no!' she thought 'pup and mam will be furious!' She looked at the goat - its neck twisted back on a strange angle, and its eyes rolled back, then she quickly turned her head, and ran inside, sickened.
"Go fetch some water, dear, Sparo feels ill" Mam told her, as soon as she entered
Mel clasped the handle of the bucket, and went out again. Hurrying past the animals and people, Mel ran to the well. No one else was there, and she sank down next to the well in relief. She needed to be alone. She buried her face in her hands, and wept. She didn't know how long she had been there, when she heard a voice.
"Hullo".
She turned and stared up at a young man - he can't have been more than 16.
"Are you all right?" he asked, gently.
Aware of her red, blotchy face, and dirty clothes; Mel blushed and wiped her eyes.
"Yeah, I guess so. You?" He shrugged, trying to remain strong; but then sat down and buried his face in his hands, crying; and shook his head.
"did -did you know that girl - who, uh, d-died?" Mel asked hesitantly
The boy sniffed. "Yeah. s-she was my - my sister" Mel stared at him in shock.
"Oh! Oh!- was she! I'm so sorry! I didn't know. how, how awful!" embarrassed about her own tears, Mel wiped her face with her sleeve.
The boy nodded his dark head. "She was the person I loved most in the whole world, and the chupacabras took her away from me!" his voice shone with hatred.
"I wish there was something we could do!" Mel exclaimed.
The boy looked up at her for a long time.
"There - there may be a way." He started.
"Oh tell me, do!" Mel said, excitedly.
".I don't think I should. you'll laugh at me."
"No I won't! I promise - oh, please tell me!"
He was silent for a moment, looking at her.
"I've often dreamed about a world where things could be different," she encouraged him, softly.
His eyes flickered. "Okay, I'll tell - no one has believed me yet . you know the old legends, about the chupacabras?" He asked her.
"Yes - about how a thousand years ago the people could fend them off, because when they saw the 'truth of day' reflected at them, they'd grow scared, and run away"
The boy nodded. "So, that's my theory."
Mel gaped at him. "The legend? You believe that it's true? But nobody does! It can't be! Its just a child's story!" He looked at her reproachfully. "You're laughing at me! I told you, you would."
Mel shook her head, and made amends. "No, I'm not - look, I'm sorry - but I just can't see how the legend can be real!"
"But it could be real! And there's no harm in trying!"
"You're mad!" Mel answered him. "Don't expect me to go along with your crazy ideas - I've got other things to do, . and it's getting late, I must be getting home now."
"Please! Just listen to me!" The boys voice pleaded her, and she turned to look at him. "The chupacabras are getting out of hand! More and more people shall die - if I'm right, then we shall save hundreds; thousands of lives -think, just think how life would be then!"
Mel stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Pup will be so angry - I've been out for ages. But this is something I cannot ignore."
The boy grinned at her. "Fantastic! I knew I'd met someone special! My names Shad. Your's?"
"Meli" She replied. "So - if you're right - then how do we know what to do? The legends tell us stuff, but they all use hard poetic language and metaphors" "Come on," Shad replied. Lets read the legends, in the library and see what we can make out of them."
Mel stood up, and Shad noticed the red stain on the back of her dress, and her bruised legs.
"What happened?" he asked her.
"Oh! I, uh - I fell and hurt my back on the corner of a bed, in my house" she stammered.
Shads raised eyebrow suggested he thought there was more to it then that.
"And your legs?" he asked.
"I -well, I guess I disappointed my pup."
"Disappointed?" Shad gave an unamused laugh. Is that what he does when you disappoint him?"
Mel flushed, and pulled her dress down, covering some of the bruises and cuts.
"I - well, I'm not exactly the sort of child my father wanted to 've never really got along"
"hmm? So what kind of child did he want?"
"Well - one that can clean, and cook and sew . one that is pretty ."
Shad chuckled. "You are pretty. Who said that you weren't?"
Mel blushed again. "No I'm not . anyway; I guess what pup really wanted was another son."
Shad frowned angrily, and kicked the dust. "Ha! Is that all people want? . My sister was the best thing that ever happened to me; so what's so different about a son?"
Mel smiled, and they started walking. "You're different from everyone else I know", she said.
"Yeah? You're different to." Shad replied. Then he frowned again.
"You're pup shouldn't be allowed to treat you like that."
Mel gave an amused laugh. "I'm not the only one. Besides, I deserved it." Shad looked at her for a moment. "You don't look like you deserved it"
Mel looked at him angrily for a second. "And what would you know? You don't even know what I did! Besides its happened lots of times before - and to my friends"
Shad shook his head. "No, it's not fair. I've never been beaten - even if I did something wrong, it was always my sister who got blamed, and punished. It isn't right."
"And since when did you, or anyone else start to care?" Mel shot back, "no one's ever minded before!"
"What's your problem?" Shad asked.
"Look, lets just drop the subject, okay?" Mel replied.
They continued walking, silently for a while. Soon they entered the library, and started climbing the ladders, trying to find the old legend books.
While they were searching Shad asked "How old are you, Mel?"
"Almost 14" she replied.
Shad paused, "'spose you'll be getting married soon, then?" he asked.
"Pup's trying to find someone - but, nobody yet."
"Do you want to marry?"
"No!" Mel replied "But I don't have much choice do I? And its probably not that much better then living at home with my pup."
"But what if you marry a bad guy?" Mel shrugged.
"You could marry me," he said, abruptly.
Mel looked at him, wondering whether he was teasing. Who would want to marry her?
"You're not married?" She asked.
"Not yet"
" pup'll want me to marry the person he choses."
"Why do what he says?" Shad asked.
Mel just shook her head at him in astonishment. No girl had ever gone against her father's wishes! .Except one girl a few years ago, but she had mysteriously disappeared - and Mel didn't want the same happening to her.
"I've got a few legends. You?" She said, changing the subject.
"Yeah. Lets start going through them" he replied, climbing down the ladder. They sat down at a wooden table in the back of the library - the only people there; and opened the books.
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