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Terror En Navidad: 4 Relatos Aterradores Que Te Dejarán Helado - Voces De La Noche · Niebla en el bosque con Evelith von

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When I was just a ten- year- old girl, my biggest dream
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in life revolved around the idea of having a dog. Since I remember,
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my love for animals and especially for those loyal four- legged companions was reflected
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in every fiber of my being and is something that, despite what happened,
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I preserve to this day. It didn' t matter where I was or
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what dog found me. I was always captivated by their tenderness and fidelity,
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but my supreme weakness lay with the White Snauser, those hairy beings who had
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conquered my heart in a unique way, year after year, in my letters
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to the Magi and on every special occasion expressed my unshakeable longing to have a
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hairy friend by my side. However, my parents are wise and concerned.
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They always reminded me that before I had to prove that I was responsible enough
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to take care of another servant. I couldn' t blame them. After
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all, responsibility is a crucial lesson in life. But one year something unexpected
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happened without me knowing. My parents had decided that the time had finally come
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to make my dream come true. However, the hustle and bustle and holiday
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festivities complicated his plans to visit a certified swimmer farm. And that' s
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when my uncle Manuel, my mother' s brother, came on stage.
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My uncle Manuel, known for his habits of borrowing money without intent to return
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it and his aversion to work, was temporarily living in our house. My
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mother, unable to expel her own brother, chose to welcome him, especially
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on the eve of Christmas. In a turn of events, my parents decided
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to entrust to him the important mission of bringing me the long- awaited dog
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friend. They gave him the money necessary for r the purchase of the pet
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and an extra for the accessories required. In addition, they offered him additional
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compensation in exchange for keeping the secret. Until the arrival of Kings Day.
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Everything seemed to be in order and although the Christmas dinners passed smoothly, the
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real surprise was yet to be revealed the arrival of the 6th of January,
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on the day of the Magi, was full of expectations I ran excited towards
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the Christmas tree, eager to discover if my desires had come true. When
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I opened the designated gift, I found a box full of dog toys and
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a remarkably thick leash. Joy filled my heart by recognizing these objects, but
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my father seemed surprised by the size of the leash. I ignored any sign
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of discomfort and set out to reveal the surprise. Final. It was at
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that exact moment, when I looked everywhere in search of my longed- for
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white snower, La la la, the truth. I was hoping you'
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d come in triumphantly into the house. The emotion seized me by listening to
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his legs, hitting the floor, but what I noticed next was a strange
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silence among my parents. They were both dazzled as if something unexpected had happened
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the moment the dog crossed the threshold of the door. It was not the
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one expected and disappointment was reflected in my parents' faces. Instead of an
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adorable puppy is white nauser, what entered through the door that January 6 was
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an adult bitch. His appearance denoted that he did not come from any certified
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breeding grounds. Rather it seemed to have come out of a canine shelter or
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I would dare say even of the bustling urban streets. The dog, without
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a doubt, had not experienced the care of a responsible breeder. Its fur,
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rough as the typical barbed wire hair of stray dogs, presented an uneven
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cream tone. The thinness and dirt that covered it indicated that my uncle had
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not bothered to provide him with the necessary toilet. And although my parents immediately
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showed their annoyance at my uncle' s obvious play, I was so intoxicated
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by the happiness of having a dog that I couldn' t care less about
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his careless appearance. The bitch' s eyes, big maroons, had a
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disturbing quality that generated a certain discomfort by looking at them for too long.
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In spite of everything, for me, those imperfect eyes made her the most
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perfect creature I' d ever seen. My love for dogs went beyond the
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idealized print I had in mind and the gratitude for having my new friend exceeded
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any aesthetic expectation. Years later, my uncle Manuel revealed the true story behind
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that unusual gift. He told us that, while driving to the so-
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called breeder that se se s N o n N. She came in with
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a puzzling scene. The van that was driving in front of him braked sharply
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and threw a sack on the side of the road. Intrigued, he stopped
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his vehicle and discovered the bitch inside the sack, with his legs and snout
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tied with wire and ropes. moved by her situation, she decided to release
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her and thought it would be the perfect gift for me at that time of
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happiness and enthusiasm. My parents couldn' t make the claim to my uncle
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for picking up a stray dog and keeping all the money they had given him.
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The shared joy at the arrival of the bitch overcame any reservation. After
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the initial euphoria, they decided to take her to the vet for a petticoat
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and a well- deserved bath. I would dare say that what happened in
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the vet was the first sign that not only was something wrong with that bitch,
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but it was a perfect reason to leave her in the doghouse and not
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look at it. No doubt we should have done that, since coming back
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for her at the agreed time, we found out that the bitch had severely
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bitten the stylist by ripping her finger off during the bath. The situation became
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tense in the vet. The serious expressions of the workers indicated that something was
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not right. Realizing that the bitch had shown aggressiveness, my father said that
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it might have been the stylist' s fault, that maybe I had mistreated
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her, since from what my uncle had said, I had not shown aggressive
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behavior and I had not acted aggressively when I caressed her and embraced her at
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the time I was given it, so my parents paid the medical expenses and
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took the Aila. So I put him home, without even suspecting the complexity
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of the situation. The thrill of having the Aila my new canine companion filled
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my life with a warm glow. After my parents provided me with a list
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of responsibilities and schedules, I gladly assumed the responsibility to take care of her.
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For the first five days, everything seemed to pass relatively normally. The
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hair behaved like any other dog, without signs of apparent oddity. However,
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certain indications began to suggest that there was more to it than could be perceived
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by the naked eye. When I took her for a walk, I noticed
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that Lyland showed no interest in playing with other dogs in the park. On
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the contrary, he adopted a defensive attitude ready to attack if any canan came
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too close. Although he was indifferent to people. Observers in the park noticed
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something unusual in their presence. Some mentioned feeling chills, while others commented on
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the strange vibration emanating from it. To me, they were simply perceptions of
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others that did not tarnish my admiration for my dear Martha. The first strange
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sign I picked up occurred in my room. While playing with Laila in the
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role of an improvised spa hall with dedication, she brushed her fur and adorned
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her hair with brooches and garters. Laila remained immutable as if she accepted her
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role as a client. Resigned. On a creative whim, I decided to
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paint her nails. However, before I could conclude a call from the kitchen,
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I was interrupted. My mother asked me to open the door. As
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I came down quickly and answered the door, I complied with my mother'
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s request. Once back in my room I expected to resume the game with
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my beloved Laila. However, as I moved towards my room, a peculiar
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sound caught my attention. It was an incomprehensible whisper, something similar to human
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murmurs and although it did not understand the exact words, the nature of the
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sounds clearly indicated that they came from an entity that emitted vocalizations proper to a
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human being. As I looked into my room, the surprise seized me when
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I discovered that layla was sitting alone in the middle of the room. The
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sound had ceased and there was no trace of any other presence. The strangeness
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of the moment puzzled me, but I chose to downplay it. Perhaps the
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sounds came from the outside, penetrating the walls of my home from some distant
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conversation After all, my devotion to Lá and prevailed over any momentary strangeness.
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The next strange thing happened two days later. The tranquility of the night was
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suddenly interrupted by my mother' s heartbreaking cry. I jumped out of bed
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my heart beating urgently and ran down the stairs next to my father. The
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anguish on my mother’ s face indicated that something unusual had happened, something
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that escaped the night routine of our home. Upon arriving in the kitchen,
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we realized that only Hilaila was sitting in a corner as usual motionless and with
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her characteristic undisturbed attitude. However, my mother’ s expression revealed a palpable
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fear. My father, trying to calm her down, asked her what scared
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her, and the answer she received brought an unexpected chill. My mother recounted
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seeing lyla standing on two legs, but in an extraordinarily strange way. He
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seemed to walk towards the refrigerator exhibiting an upright posture that went beyond the typical
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position of a dog. The height of the aila similar to that of a
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big pit bull, made it an imposing figure and the idea of seeing it
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in such a human posture was frightening despite the explanations of my father, who
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tried to downplay the situation, my mother insisted that it was not a simple
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act of standing on two legs like any other dog. According to her,
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Laila stood up in an unusually natural way, almost like a person and when
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she lit the light, the whole scene was transformed with layla, sitting back
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on the floor as if nothing had happened. My father, in an effort
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to calm the situation, asked me to return to my room, ensuring that
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he would take care of everything with a little concern. I obeyed his words
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and went up the stairs again, leaving my parents and Aila in the kitchen.
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Although I feared this episode would have consequences, the next morning happened as
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if the night before had never happened. However, after that event, the
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atmosphere at home changed and during the nights strange noises began to be heard that
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were attributed to the Ila. Although these ss sounds acquired a peculiar nuance,
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some became stronger implying that something else was happening. It was as if a
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human presence wandered around the house in the quietest hours of the night, performing
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mysterious activities while we all slept. Years later, my mother shared a dark
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secret. A neighbor had confessed that she was watching movement in our kitchen.
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For several mornings. He testified how the lights went on and off repeatedly a
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night routine that baffled the neighbor. My mother, not wanting to scare the
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rest of the family, kept this information to herself for a long time.
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The connection between the aila and I was broken by a disturbing event, a
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memory that still shook me. On that occasion, my parents left for a
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couple of hours, something common in Mexico, where children are sometimes left alone
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Temporarily. I was used to these situations and also had the company of my
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faithful Laila, which gave me total peace of mind. On that day,
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after an hour of watching television, the fatigue beat me and I decided to
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give myself to sleep. I turned off the television and walked to my room,
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where the laila, already dormant in the living room, seemed destined to
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stay during my brief rest. However, as I began to fall asleep,
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the sounds of his legs resounded on the floor of the house. Initially I
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gave them no importance and kept trying to fall asleep, but Laila' s
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presence became more evident when I felt she was in my room. Although I
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did not pay much attention to her, I continued with my attempt to sleep
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and that was when I clearly realized that Layla was trying to get into my
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bed, which surprised me, as she was not the kind of dog that
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used to share her bed with her masters. My previous attempts to invite her
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to sleep next to me had proved useless, as she preferred to go down
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quickly. On this occasion, it seemed that Layla was determined to go up
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and lie next to me. This possibility that I had always longed for filled
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me with joy. However, when the Ila finally settled in bed, the
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strange thing began to happen. I felt like suddenly, he started licking my
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neck, which was already unusual given the nature of the aila, who rarely
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showed that typical canine behavior. However, what followed was even more disconcerting.
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Instead of stopping, Layla continued to lick, extending her attention to my ears.
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My discomfort grew, as the way I did it did not resemble the
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typical licking of a dog. I felt a chill. While laylan not only
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licked my neck, but also my ears, an action that I found strangely
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uncomfortable. The perception of this situation became cloudy and although I could not be
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absolutely sure of what was happening. The discomfort I experienced left me intrigued and
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puzzled. Despite how extraordinary it may sound, Lyla seemed to be licking in
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a lewd way, an experience so bizarre that it left my mind petrified.
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The bitch' s breathing and the nature of her lickings generated a deeply disturbing
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sensation. At the time I was unable to do anything about it. Trapped
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in a strange paralysis, I chose to simulate sleep waiting for the pet to
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finally get tired. The tension dissipated when, after a time that felt endless,
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the yarn rose from the bed and left the room as if nothing had
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happened. From that moment on, our relationship changed radically and, despite my
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young age. The discomfort I felt near her led me to avoid it.
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For the first time I experienced the uncomfortable look of my pet, that look
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that others mentioned. Moreover, I perceived that Layla was aware of my fear,
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as if she deliberately sought to frighten me by coming too close or touching
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my hand unexpectedly. At night, the atmosphere became more disturbing. When I
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woke up, I found myself with the intense gaze of the aila, sitting
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by the door and staring at me. But the situation did not stop there
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and on numerous occasions I heard whispers and laughter coming from the bitch, details
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that, although frightening I decided to keep to myself I remembered how my father
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had minimized my mother' s experience with lyla and I feared that when telling
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my own story I would be labeled exaggerated or imaginative. In a desperate attempt
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to recover a minimum of privacy, I decided to close the door of my
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room to prevent layla from observing me while I slept or trying to enter during
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the night. However, my caution proved insufficient. For the first three days
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I heardÁila' s attempts to scratch the door and groan for my attention.
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Despite ignoring her, she persisted in her attempt to enter. My confidence
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that the knob on my door, difficult to manipulate for a bitch, would
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be enough to keep her out, faded the fifth night. He marked a
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terrifying turn in his sleep. The sharp sound of the knob. Turning filled
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the room. I opened my eyes with fear and horror to meet Lyla now
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standing on two legs, with the door ajar. I repeated my mother'
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s description, taking a disturbing human stance, a terrifying scene that was engraved
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in my memory, leaving me in a state of fear chorro at the moment
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my eyes came across the inexplicable image of the raised wing on two legs,
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my reaction was visceral and heartbreaking. An anguished cry and desperate tears broke out
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in me invoking the urgent presence of my parents. The answer to my call
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was practically instantaneous. However, when they arrived, they only found the aila
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resting on the threshold of the gate, calm and apparently normal, despite the
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disconcerting reality that I had just witnessed, I tried to articulate, what happened
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to convey the strangeness that had invaded our home. My father, in an
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attempt to appease my fears, suggested plausible theories. Perhaps it was an accident,
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an inadvertent maneuver of the wing in attempting to enter unintentionally overturning the door
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handle. Another hypothesis was that I neglected to close the door, allowed lyla
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with uras paws to open it. Despite these rational explanations, my persistent concern
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would not be with my persistence. My father proposed a practical solution, to
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confine theáila in the garage during the night, ensuring the tranquility of everyone
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and if I still felt restless in the morning, we could find another house
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for him. Preparing for that, she took the aila necklace and tried to
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guide her to the garage with delicacy. However, the bitch resisted as if
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she sensed the unusual night that awaited her. My father' s patience faltered
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and with a more energetic pull, the necklace detached from his neck. At
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that moment, the atmosphere took on its realism and terror. The Ila,
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already liberated from her restraint, turned to my father and uttered a demonic and
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terrifying voice, alien to her canine nature. His words resonated in the air
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with a disturbing statement. That hurts cursed, unhappy a collective cry mixed with
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amazement and fear. He ran away from us. While ly ran her down
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the stairs paralyzed by bewilderment. No one had the courage to chase her and
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a few minutes later we heard the door of the house open from the window
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of my room. We witnessed the unusual scene Laila. The bitch we had
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hosted for three months ran on two legs, moving away from the neighborhood,
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in a scene that challenged all logic and understanding. That moment became a supernatural
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experience, leaving an indelible trail of mystery and bewilderment that would persist in the
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depths of our memories. By the time I was eight years old, I
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was used to constant home changes. My life was marked by suitcases, half
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unpacked, sudden moves and the feeling of belonging nowhere. My parents, immersed
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in their own battles and limitations, could not take care of me and so
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I became a perpetual traveler of the goodwill of relatives who eventually could not sustain
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my expenses for long. Christmas was always a distant longing, a broken promise
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that faded away with every change of house. And although I never experienced the
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joy of the festivities, a persistent belief remained firm in my heart the existence
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of Santa Claus and the Magi. Every year, no matter where a gift
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was, a flash of magic came to me in the midst of uncertainty one
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day near, on December 24, the aunt I was staying with at that
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time asked me to pack my bags. Already accustomed to obeying, I did
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not question his decision. However, this time, instead of wheeling me to
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another house a few hours away, my father got with me on a bus
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and then to another we traveled for two and a half days, leaving behind
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the familiarity of the city to enter Chiapas, specifically in a rural area where
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the forests rose majestically. The house we arrived at was immersed in nature,
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almost isolated from any trace of civilization. But as I walked through his door
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I realized that maybe this change wasn' t as bad as the previous ones.
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In that house lived one of my father' s sisters, her husband
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and two cousins, one my age and another only one year older, and
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for the first time in my conscious life, I felt genuinely welcome. While
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my father was talking to them, my cousins and I explored the courtyard,
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they told me that although we were in a remote place, we were not
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completely isolated. My cousin explained to me that I only had to walk a
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mile to find the next house and that the village was not so far away.
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This revelation reassured me, for, having always lived in the city,
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I was accustomed to certain comforts of it. However, the warm welcome of
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my aunt and uncle, along with the immediate connection with my cousins, overshadowed
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any fears I might have felt. Seed dates wrapped the house in a festive
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atmosphere while everyone was preparing for Christmas. However, I discovered a peculiar nuance
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in the relationship of my father' s sister and her family to these festivities.
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Unlike urban customs, they were not devoted followers of Christmas and generally limited
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their celebrations to sharing the Christmas dinner with the inhabitants of the house. However,
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the dynamics changed that year. They were planning on inviting a couple of
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neighbors to share the Christmas dinner with us. The news resonated in my heart
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as an anticipated gift. The prospect of celebrating Christmas in an environment where I
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felt truly at ease touched me deeply and for the first time in a long
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time, the feeling of being accepted eclipsed any burden I would have carried with
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me. That afternoon, while the expectation of Christmas was mixed with laughter and
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games in the forest with my cousins, a little creak broke the harmony of
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the curious moment I inquired with my cousins about the origin of that sound,
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which came from nearby bushes. Unconcerned expressions suggested that it was probably some rabbit
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or similar creature. However, my curiosity resisted being calm. So easily and
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cautiously I approached the bushes to unravel the mystery. That' s when,
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in the shadows, a frightened rabbit jumped and rushed into the forest. The
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surprise of the moment caused me to fall on the ground, unleashing the contagious
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laughter of my cousins. Initially, the situation seemed to be just one more
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episode of fun among cousins, but the afternoon took an unexpected turn when one
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of my cousins, my own age, decided to add a touch of mystery
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to the episode among contained laughter, asked me if I believed that rabbit was
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the witch of the forest and after a brief moment of laughter, I shook
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the land of the fall and affirmed with conviction that witches were nothing but characters
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of legends and tales. And while I hoped that the theme would not pass
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from there, I could see how both cousins exchanged meaningful looks and decided to
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immerse me in the stories floating in the air with a more serious tone.
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They claimed that the witches were not only real, but that they lived in
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the same forest we were playing in. Although my skepticism answered with a resounding,
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I do not believe they grossly absorb anything. Their arguments persisted by ensuring
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that witches descended through the forest after nine o' clock at night with firmness
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my cousins added disturbing details to the narrative. According to local stories, after
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nine o' clock in the night, witches ventured in search of unsuspecting children.
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Although initially I tried to maintain my skepticism, the intensity in the eyes
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of my cousins and the seriousness of their voices caused a seed of doubt to
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germinate in my mind. My cousins took the narrative one step further and mentioned
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the existence of a hidden cave somewhere in the forest, a mysterious place where
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witches attracted people to never again be seen. My cousins shared the story of
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witches with such conviction that, despite their genuine fear, I could not help
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but question the truthfulness of their accounts. At the age of eight, the
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notion of witches and paranormal beings was presented as pure fanny. I had never
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witnessed a supernatural phenomenon or experienced any experience that could corroborate those beliefs. So,
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even though my cousins insisted on the authenticity of the witches who lived in
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the forest, my childish skepticism clung to the logic that such things only existed
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in tales to frighten children. However, the serious tone of my eldest cousin,
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sharing the story of a missing girl two years ago, left an indelible
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imprint on my mind. The story suggested that the girl, known for her
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good behavior, had vanished into the darkness of the night, supposedly carried by
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a group of women. Though my rational mind resisted accepting history as true.
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The pieces of the puzzle didn' t fit at all. Like an obedient
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child, she ended up walking alone into the forest before being caught by those
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mysterious figures. The uncertainty and mystery of his disappearance sown a seed of doubt
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that flourished with every shadow of the forest. The house was filled with the
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growing energy of the festive season and nearby neighbors joined the preparations and in that
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festive bustle I met Manuel and Lucas, two children who, like me,
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craved the arrival of Santa immediately. The connection between us was palpable and between
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games and laughter we found ourselves chatting about our Christmas wishes as we shared our
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expectations for Christmas. I realized that I was the only one who had not
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yet written his Letter to Santa Surrounded by friendly laughter, I accepted the help
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of my new companions to express on paper my dreams and hopes. Together with
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childish enthusiasm, we made the letter and tied it to a balloon, watching
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it rise to the sky. Action was not only an act of faith toward
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the magic of Christmas, but also a bond that strengthened our friendship. The
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day progressed, but the friendship between us became stronger with every moment shared.
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Despite all the laughter and games, none were ready to end the day with
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a mixture of illusion and supplications. We convinced my uncles to let Manuel and
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Lucas stay to sleep that night. At first the idea brought doubts between Manuel
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' s parents and Lucas, but our persistence and enthusiasm finally tipped the balance
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in our favor. The excitement felt in the air as my uncles allowed us
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to stay in the room with the promise of watching TV until we wanted to.
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However, the idea of simply watching television was not exciting enough for us.
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A more intriguing and fun plan was formed in our minds to build a
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small improvised fort in the room. Cushions and blankets became the foundation of our
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fortress and, once finished, we entered the geo refuge with flashlights in hand,
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between laughter and murmurs. We began to tell each other horror stories,
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although he had several stories of the city that he could have shared. I
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couldn' t help but pay particular attention to the one my cousins had told
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about the missing girl. The story of that mysterious disappearance at the hands of
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what the neighbors called witches, kept ringing in my mind. We were surrounded
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by the same forest we had talked about so much, and that added a
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chilling nuance to the narrative. The atmosphere in the room became more tense as
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we deepened in horror stories. Although I tried to maintain my skepticism, the
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proximity of the forest and the shadows of the night created a unique atmosphere,
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making me wonder if behind the trees could hide the mysterious figures we had talked
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about so much. Fortunately, the theme of the stories changed and for me
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we left out the terror to focus again on the gifts we expected this year.
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Having sent my letter, I was convinced that for the first time I
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would receive something I really wanted. Expectation and illusion filled the room. As
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we shared our emotions and thoughts about the gifts we longed for. Suddenly,
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a flash of light penetrated the room, illuminating it intensely. For a few
31:29
seconds. The light seemed to come from the forest and, at first,
31:33
the idea that it was a car crossing the road comforted us. However,
31:37
as the minutes passed and we did not hear any sound of vehicles or door
31:44
closing. That explanation lost strength. The second time the light blinked, we
31:48
all peeked curiously out the window. However, the darkness of the forest remained
31:55
immutable without revealing any source of that mysterious luminosity and or uncomfortable silence settled in
32:00
the room as we processed what we had just witnessed. Speculation filled the room
32:07
as we tried to decipher the nature of those mysterious flashes. Some of us
32:15
suggested that it might have been simply a person with a flashlight, a logical
32:21
and common explanation for most places. However, this theory did not explain the
32:25
repetition of light or the interval between each flash. Another thought came up.
32:31
Perhaps there had been a small fire in the forest quickly suffocated by the wind,
32:37
but this idea was also discarded, as the intensity of light suggested more
32:40
than a mere momentary fire to the minds of all of us. He worked
32:47
all the time to find an explanation, but the confusion persisted and the third
32:53
time the light shone, we could all observe that it did not come from
32:59
a specific point in the forest, but seemed to emanate from everywhere. At
33:01
the same time it was a strange and disconcerting luminescence that challenged any logical explanation
33:08
for the children who had grown up in the forest. This was unusual and
33:13
disconcerting. The brief flash dissipated leaving us unbelievers and without answers. Theories were
33:19
exhausted and the halls were filled with silence. While we exchanged bewildered glances.
33:24
At that moment, in the distance, behind a tree, we could all
33:29
look at a silhouette that moved. The figure seemed to peek out and then
33:34
hide behind the trunk. A chill swept through each child' s spine and
33:38
the atmosphere in the room instantly changed. The initial feeling gave way to a
33:44
sense of palpable fear, although none of us could precisely define what was moving
33:50
behind the tree, the idea of an alien was thrown in the midst of
33:53
nervousness. However, as we watched more closely, we all realized that the
34:00
figure did not coincide with the conventional idea of an alien It was something more
34:05
earthly, more familiar. But still, uncertainty persisted. The tension increased while
34:13
we remained expectant, unable to turn our gaze away from the figure in the
34:19
distance, someone murmured the word ghost, but logic and disbelief were mixed up
34:23
in us. We were trapped between curiosity and fear, unable to get away
34:29
from the window, as if an invisible force kept us there watching in silence
34:35
what was happening on the dark night of the forest. As our eyes here
34:38
killed the lack of light, we began to distinguish the silhouettes that manifested themselves
34:44
before us were the three Magi and Santa Claus kings exactly like any child could
34:50
imagine them dressed in radiant Middle Eastern clothing and emanating a magical presence, while
34:57
Saint dressed those clothes still in red, with his fantastic hat. Surprise and
35:02
disbelief filled the room. When we realized that the beings of ancient history were
35:07
now in front of us, Baltasar, Melchor and Gaspar seemed to have come
35:14
out directly from the tales and legends. The vibrant colors of his garments contrasted
35:21
with the darkness of the forest and something in them shone in a way that
35:24
could only be described as magical. We were amazed to see those legendary beings
35:31
who up to that moment had only been part of stories told by our parents.
35:37
The amazing revelation didn' t stop there. Santa Clos held in one
35:42
of his hands a balloon, the same balloon he had released earlier that day.
35:47
I knew it because the card containing the letter we had sent to Santa
35:52
was still on the top of the bar. The connection between the afternoon event
35:57
and the magical appearance in the forest, which was unmistakable and we could not
36:01
help but feel a mixture of amazement and emotion. The wise men with an
36:07
expression that looked like a mixture of benevolence and mystery, signaled us to approach.
36:14
The invitation was clear. We had to follow them without hesitation for a
36:19
moment. Driven by fascination and belief. In the magic of Christmas, we
36:23
opened the door and began to walk towards the forest, following magical beings.
36:29
Meters after meters, the wise kings walked into the lush forest, stopping from
36:35
time to time to wait for us. The anticipation grew in our little hearts
36:40
and although we did not know the final destination of this unusual journey, the
36:45
promise of gifts and wonders made us forget any fear. Child innocence prevailed and
36:52
the idea of following saint and wise men translated into the emotion of the unknown.
36:58
However, just as we were approaching what seemed to be an exciting destination,
37:02
my cousin, the eldest of all, bumped into a tree and the
37:07
impact pulled him out of his trance state. And that' s when reality
37:10
took off in front of us. The figures we thought were those magical beings
37:15
were nothing but witches. The revelation struck like a gust of cold and the
37:22
magical mantle enveloping the forest faded, revealing the imminent danger to which we were
37:28
approaching without wasting time. My cousin shook the others screaming to get us out
37:35
of the trance in which the witches were trying to plunge us. Luckily,
37:38
we managed to wake up from that evil enchantment almost immediately. My mind was
37:45
clouded with fear and confusion. The witches, in their dark robes and malevolent
37:50
countenances, were now fearsome figures who sat upon us. The forest, which
37:55
once seemed like a magical setting, turned into a dark, sinister, errant
38:00
bird. The palpable terror took hold of us. When my cousin finally realized
38:06
the true nature of those figures that guided us towards the dark destiny. The
38:12
disfigured and burned skin of witches with blisters on their hands was a clear indication
38:16
that we were being drawn to a sinister and dangerous place. The chilling reality
38:23
unfolded before our eyes and the magical illusion faded, revealing the nightmare that was
38:30
closing upon us. Terror drove us to run desperately back home. However,
38:37
the wrath of the witches became evident when we realized that they were running furiously
38:40
toward us, eager to recover their prey. I can remember we were screaming
38:47
and asking for help on the dark night. At that time, however,
38:52
no one was around to hear our calls and only the evil laughter of the
38:58
witches resounded, chasing us without the tins. We finally reached the security of
39:04
our home, but the tranquility was fleeting. Realizing that the witches no longer
39:07
pursued us, we realized the absence of the youngest Luke. Fear and anguish
39:15
filled the room, while we were frantically looking for the lost child and seeing
39:21
him nowhere, we ran to tell my uncles what had happened. Despite an
39:25
intensive search in the forest and its surroundings, we never found Lucas again.
39:31
Locals' theories of their fate varied, but we, their cousins and friends,
39:37
were aware of the cruel one. True, the witches had caught up
39:42
with him during the persecution, taking him from our lives irreversibly. The loss
39:49
of Lucas left an indelible mark in our lives and the forest, which was
39:52
once the scene of games and joy, became a dark and forbidden place.
39:58
I lived with my uncles and cousins until adulthood, and none of us dared
40:01
to approach the forest again, for it was full of terrifying memories. As
40:08
I formed my own family and became the father of twins, I decided to
40:13
be honest. From the beginning with my children I explained to them that the
40:17
magic of Santa Claus and the Magi was just a story giving them gifts personally.
40:22
Every year I was unwilling to allow my children to fall into the same
40:28
dangerous illusion that I experienced at that fateful Christmas marked by witches and the loss
40:34
of an innocent child named Luke. This happened to me when I was a
40:45
child and it has taken me a long time to overcome and today I am
40:50
afraid to let my children disappear from my sight for more than an hour and
40:53
I always have to do with those who are exactly. Many call me overprotective,
40:59
but I think that, having seen what my eyes saw, most people
41:02
would act the same or worse than me. Back then, my parents had
41:07
filled my head with stories of magic and fantasy. Every year they were trying
41:14
to create unforgettable events, not only for me, but also for my sisters.
41:19
The letters I wrote, full of dreams and longings, were like little
41:23
poems that weaved a direct link with the fantasy and answers of Santa Claus and
41:29
the Magi made my world a place full of wonders. At that age,
41:35
the reality of Santa Clos and the Magi was unquestionable to me. They were
41:39
magical beings who, without a doubt, filled my home with joy. However,
41:44
those childish beliefs so pure and full of amazement would become the guiding thread
41:50
to a danger that I would not have imagined in my darkest dreams. The
41:55
fateful turn in my life manifested itself when at nine years of age a misfortune
42:00
fell upon my family, my maternal grandfather, a man with a serious face
42:05
and a distant gaze departed from this world, although I did not share a
42:10
deep connection with him. His death sounded like a painful echo in every corner
42:14
of the house to honor his memory and attend to the unfinished business at the
42:20
ranch where he lived his last days. The family decided to spend the holidays
42:24
in that remote place. Just four days from Christmas. We headed to the
42:30
ranch in the middle of nowhere as a tribute to family traditions. While adults
42:35
took care of caring for the cattle and organizing the grandfather' s belongings,
42:39
the older cousins soon expressed their dissatisfaction at the lack of Internet access and mobile
42:45
data signal. On the other hand, the smallest of those I found were
42:52
enthusiastically looking forward to the promised Christmas that we were assured would be unforgettable.
42:58
The first task upon arrival was to unpack and assign the rooms. I had
43:02
to share the room with my two sisters and two twin cousins along with a
43:07
smaller cousin. However, as we installed our attention, it turned to an
43:14
old notebook on the night table, worn by time, it looked like something
43:17
that promised to contain, something exciting. The notebook, almost entirely blank,
43:23
kept only one page scratched with a phrase repeated as a disturbing echo. Don
43:30
' t trust the leprechaun. The intrigue enveloped us as a dense mist,
43:35
but our inquiries revealed no further information. We decided to keep the notebook in
43:40
one of the drawers in the room, thinking that maybe, my grandfather had
43:45
left the name of a movie or book there so as not to forget what
43:49
it was called. After having settled in the room that would be our refuge,
43:54
for the next three days, we decided to venture into exploring the ranch.
44:00
The idea was to play and enjoy the fresh air before returning for the
44:04
next meal. Fortunately, our parents agreed and with laughter and running we all
44:10
headed towards the vast ranch grounds. For the first few hours harmony reigned.
44:16
We played in perfect synchrony, no conflict, no fights. However, as
44:22
is common in children of that age, the situation took an unexpected turn when
44:27
someone proposed to change the game, which began as an innocent change of activity
44:30
led to a fracture in the group, girls on the one hand, boys
44:36
on the other. Each group embarked on its own fun route and distanced itself
44:40
in its own world. The group of girls, made up of me and
44:45
my sisters and three other cousins, began to walk without direction. After a
44:51
while, without deciding what to play, we decided to explore the stables in
44:55
the hope of finding something interesting or perhaps building a strong improviser. However,
45:00
when we arrived, we realized that the stables lacked any material useful to our
45:06
mischief. He only found Heno and the empty space of reality deflated our expectations.
45:14
At that moment we settled among the bales of Alfalfa. Sharing laughter and
45:19
conversations about our Christmas wishes and the letters we would write. My sisters and
45:24
I began to enumerate our most precious wishes for Saint Clos and the Magi,
45:30
diving into the magic that only children' s eyes can see. However,
45:35
our cousins, with a certainty that puzzled us, claimed that Santa Claus was
45:40
not real, holding that only the Magi had the power to bring gifts.
45:45
A stir of disbelief and protest broke out, triggering a heated discussion about the
45:52
existence of Santa Claus. The tension escalated and the words became screams. Even
45:58
my sister was about to strike at one of my cousins, just as the
46:02
dispute reached its highest point. A childish laugh echoed from behind the alfalfa cows
46:08
on the corner of the stable. The dispute evaporated instantly. The glances turned
46:15
towards the mysterious sound. We all heard clearly that laughter, a laughter that
46:22
we could not confuse with the sound of some small wheel or animal. It
46:25
was a childish laughter that leaked among the cows, impossible to attribute to any
46:30
visible being. Initially we thought some cousin was trying to play a joke,
46:37
but soon we realized that there was only one entrance to the stable and none
46:42
of us had seen anyone go in or out. Since we arrived, the
46:45
mystery has taken over us, leaving us in an expectant silence in the face
46:52
of the possibility that something else, something incomprehensible, would hide in the stable.
46:55
With caution we approach the source of that mysterious laughter. Each step resonated
47:01
in the stable and when we were right behind the alfalfa cows, the strangeness
47:06
took over us as we realized that there was absolutely no one there. That
47:13
absence behind the cows challenged all logic, leaving us speechless. One of my
47:17
senior cousins, with her ten years of age, already tried to dispel the
47:22
mystery by suggesting that perhaps it had been the squawking of some passing bird,
47:28
a sound amplified by the echo of the place. However, the others rejected
47:31
this explanation immediately, for the laughter we had heard was clear and distinctive,
47:37
far from being confused with the mere squeaking of a fair bird. When we
47:44
were about to give up the search for answers, laughter resonated again this time
47:49
with a force and clarity that admitted no doubts. The laughter, now more
47:53
powerful, seemed to emerge from a pile of completely dry hay at the opposite
47:59
end of the state. All six of us looked at each other with confusion,
48:05
but the initial curiosity turned into a chill of fear. We decided to
48:08
leave the stable before going further into the enigma that was taking off before us.
48:14
With cautious steps we begin the way to the exit. However, in
48:19
the middle of the journey, the laughter persisted and, to our dismay,
48:23
every time we turned to the pile of Heno, we could clearly observe how
48:29
it moved as if something or someone were hidden inside it, A chill swept
48:35
through our spine and a knot of fear settled in our throats. Faced with
48:40
this disturbing vision, we began to run towards the exit of the stable,
48:45
screaming and crying, calling our parents in despair and the laughter continued to accompany
48:52
us as a macabre melody. As we fled from that place full of inexplicable
48:57
phenomena, we came to the house with our eyes still full of tears and
49:01
hearts, beating loudly as we told our parents what had happened. We hoped
49:07
to find comfort and answers. However, their faces showed little astonishment and quietness.
49:14
They explained to us that raccoons lived in the ranch and Sarihuellas argued that
49:20
these animals sometimes emitted sounds, that they could be confused with laughter and that,
49:25
moreover, they used to take refuge among the piles of hay or alfalfa
49:30
to protect themselves from the cold. Although his words sought to calm our concerns,
49:35
none of us could fully accept that explanation. The laughter we had heard
49:39
did not resemble the grunts or squeals of an animal. However, at the
49:45
insistence of our parents, we resigned ourselves to accept their version, leaving the
49:50
subject in pause for the moment. However, the idea of returning to those
49:54
stables now imbued with a strange presence terrified us, as the mystery floated in
50:00
the air and no one wanted to venture back into that corner of the ranch.
50:07
The next morning, my sisters Primas and I decided to continue exploring the
50:12
ranch, carefully avoiding the area that included the stables. After a while of
50:17
walking and enjoying the landscape, we decided to stop to rest under the shade
50:22
of a majestic pyrul tree that stood on the property. The idea of turning
50:29
it into our own tree house excited us and we began to climb its robust
50:34
branches, letting ourselves be carried away by the magic of imagination. As we
50:38
fantasized about the plans for our purple fruitage between laughter and shared dreams, an
50:44
unknown voice added to the bustle suggesting with innocence we could put a slide from
50:51
the entrance to the floor. Surprised. All six of us turned up where
50:54
the voice seemed to come from. However, the amazement soon turned into terror.
51:00
Realizing the presence of a small being sitting on one of the highest branches
51:05
of the Pirul. This being dressed in blanket clothes and a peculiar hat,
51:10
looked at us with the eyes of a vibrant purple and a denture that,
51:15
despite looking human, stood out for its teeth pointed paths. Despite his low
51:20
stature, his pointed face and ears gave him the appearance of a leprechaun from
51:24
fairy tales. Surprise and fear took hold of us and my cousins, along
51:30
with my sisters, began to come down from the tree quickly, trying to
51:37
flee from the creature that had appeared out of nowhere. Once we were all
51:42
down, we realized that that being had descended with a single leap blocking our
51:46
path and his presence completely rebelled and reality in front of us became more strange
51:52
and mysterious than we would have imagined. Although their soups were thin for the
51:58
weather, their roughs and features suggested something unusual, as our pulsations accelerated and
52:02
the fear enveloped us. That being gave us a smile and with a quiet
52:09
voice, he told us they don' t have to be afraid of me.
52:14
Those words uttered by the creature, defying any logical explanation, placed a
52:20
veil of uncertainty about the sunny day on the ranch. Although the creature seemed
52:23
to radiate a certain air of hospitality and good faith, something deep in us
52:29
made us doubt about its true intentions. However, she was the youngest cousin
52:36
of just six years, who dared to break the tense silence and asked who
52:40
that strange being was with a smile. The leprechaun confirmed what our looks already
52:49
suggested. It was a goblin, but not a common one. Before we
52:52
could express our opinions, he revealed to us that he was an assistant to
52:58
Santa Claus. He told us that the day before he had been watching us
53:01
in the stable and witnessed our heated discussion about the existence of Santa Claus and
53:07
in a friendly tone, he assured us that Santa Claus was totally real.
53:12
The news resonated in our childish hearts and any thoughts of doubt about the intentions
53:17
of the goblin completely disappeared. Now we were convinced that that sympathetic being was
53:23
a loyal ally of Santa Claus willing to fulfill all our excited desires, we
53:30
began to ask questions and express our wishes. The most common was the request
53:36
for toys and, to our surprise, the goblin responded in the affirmative with
53:42
an apparently magical ease. Every time one of us asked for a toy,
53:45
specifically, the goblin took a rock from the ground or pulled a branch out
53:51
of the tree and, after making some movements with his hands, the toy
53:55
appeared in his hands as if by magic. I remember clearly that, as
54:00
I asked the leprechaun, if I didn' t feel cold. With that
54:02
thin blanket clothes he was wearing following his facade of joy, he assured us
54:07
that he did not feel the cold at all. Then, with a funny
54:12
occurrence, he showed us how, in case he needed a coat, he
54:16
could stretch his ears and use them as a little blanket. The laughter burst
54:21
between us and after the Goblin' s ears returned to their normal state,
54:25
we continued to play with the toys he had brought us. However, joy
54:30
soon faded away, when, after a few hours we began to notice that
54:36
toys became fragile and broke with the slightest movement. The happiness provided by those
54:43
ephemeral gifts was overshadowed by the rapid decline of their quality. Despite the disappointment
54:50
we felt when we saw that the toys were fragile and broken, we headed
54:54
to the Goblin to ask him if he could fix them. To our regret,
55:00
he informed us that he did not have the ability to repair the toys.
55:04
As we watched the hour, we realized that we had spent many hours
55:07
outside the house and it was time to return. However, before any of
55:13
us could express it out loud, the Goblin looked at us and offered us
55:16
a tempting offer. Although I could not repair the toys, I could take
55:22
us to the Santa Claus Workshop, where we would have access to mountains of
55:29
toys, if we could choose the ones we wanted, even more than one,
55:34
if we wanted, initially, the proposal sounded irresistibly attractive, but my
55:40
cousin moved by curiosity questioned how we could get to the North Pole Being in
55:44
Mexico. The expression of the Goblin changed abruptly. His smile disappeared as if
55:49
he had not expected to be questioned. He remained silent for a moment,
55:53
as if he were coming up with a new lie. Then he smiled kindly
55:58
again and made us. He assured us that in the stable where we had
56:02
been there was a portal that would transport us to the North Pole and from
56:07
there he would take us to the workshop. We just had to follow him
56:09
and soon we would have all the toys we wanted, although initially all six
56:15
of us seemed to be sure we wanted to follow the Goblin. The hesitant
56:19
response generated collective skepticism. We realized that something was not right with that creature
56:23
and we were not willing to follow it. Trying to keep a nice facade.
56:30
My eldest cousin, ten years old, told the leprechaun that we would
56:34
love to go, but that it was time to go back to our homes
56:38
or our parents would be angry. He took his sister by the hand and
56:43
began to move toward the house. However, the leprechaun stood in his way
56:47
blocking our way and forcing an increasingly disturbing smile. He insisted that we couldn
56:54
' t leave We had to stay to receive gifts and avoid being catalogs like
57:00
bad girls. The veiled threats about getting off the list of good girls and
57:06
not getting gifts. They never started getting nervous, although we told him more
57:12
scared that we really couldn' t stay and we had to go home.
57:16
The goblin, in a desperate act, put his hands in the bags of
57:22
his little blanket pants and pulled out a lot of candy. He told us
57:25
that if we stayed, we could enjoy the sweets with him and although we
57:30
didn' t have to go to the north pole, we had to stay
57:36
a little longer to share this moment. Sweet practically made us take the sweets
57:39
from his hands by force, leaving us in an uncomfortable and distressing situation with
57:45
the heart. Beating hard all six we took the sweets that insistent goblin offered
57:51
us, but none of us dared to taste them. We tried to convince
57:57
him that we had to go home, but his instinct became more and more
58:01
aggressive, leaving us trapped in an uncomfortable situation. Any attempt to flee seemed
58:07
doomed to failure, as he placed himself in a threatening position blocking any exit
58:14
to the security of our homes. After several minutes of attention, the leprechaun
58:20
proposed a hidden game. If we won, we could go home. But
58:27
if he won, he' d take us to the stable to travel to
58:30
the north pole. Although we were terrified, we thought we could take the
58:36
opportunity to run home. As I counted, we agreed to play and enthusiastically.
58:40
The leprechaun started counting to ten without wasting time. We jumped at full
58:46
speed towards the house, but the distance was too great. When we got
58:52
to number seven, we realized it didn' t matter how fast we ran.
58:57
We wouldn' t get there before I ended up in despair. We
59:00
hid behind a giant tree trunk shot down praying to go unnoticed. While we
59:09
waited for our parents' flashlights blinked in the distance searching for us in the
59:15
growing darkness, we tried to draw their attention without making noise. When they
59:19
were close enough, we were about to leave our hiding place to run towards
59:24
them when suddenly we heard a loud voice behind us that said ten turning we
59:32
saw the Goblin climbing in the trunk, but his face had changed completely and
59:37
his purple eyes shone in the dark. His pointed teeth and his hands now
59:42
looked like claws. We shouted and ran to our parents, who, listening
59:47
to our voices, turned to us. Seeing the Goblin, our parents started
59:52
screaming to scare what they thought was a dog at first sight, but as
59:57
they got closer, they saw what it was. And for our fortune,
1:00:02
the Goblin seemed to be frightened by his presence and fled the place. Everyone
1:00:07
was so upset, the sun just came up. The next day we left
1:00:10
that ranch. We were never able to forget that strange experience, especially because
1:00:17
by investigating the place where we spent those long hours, adults discovered that the
1:00:23
toys we thought we had were just stones and sticks. I' ve always
1:00:28
believed that this leprechaun had the power to create illusions, and although he never
1:00:34
came back, his memory will last between us. Thanks to our parents,
1:00:37
we left unharmed from that mysterious and terrifying situation and none of us would venture
1:00:43
back to the ranch. This is a real story. I think when you
1:00:53
' re little, you think that ghosts and monsters are horrible beings, that
1:00:59
they' re willing to scare you at the slightest chance and that they base
1:01:02
their whole lives on doing that. But today, as an adult, I
1:01:06
wonder if ghosts are just humans who weren' t ready to go and for
1:01:09
some reason? They condemned themselves to repeat something over and over again or perhaps
1:01:15
for some reason I do not know. They just anchored somewhere without realizing it
1:01:20
anyway. This is my experience. When I was a child, barely crossing
1:01:27
the eight- year- old boundaries, I lived in a constant dance of
1:01:30
change. My family, marked by evident poverty, moved frequently and that instability
1:01:35
affected not only our place of residence, but also my ability to establish lasting
1:01:40
friendships in school. My clothes, very often old or second- hand,
1:01:49
combined with my careless appearance, made me the easy target of mockery and every
1:01:53
time I started to feel accepted, the move again separated me from any newly
1:01:59
formed connection. However, despite the hardships that life brought me, I looked
1:02:05
forward to. The arrival of Christmas was the only day in the year when
1:02:09
the extended family met and I experienced a fleeting flash of happiness in the midst
1:02:15
of the dark routine, the bright lights, the festive ornaments, as well
1:02:21
as the gifts of all my uncles and aunts, who were aware of our
1:02:24
situation and, therefore, always tried to give me the gifts that I could
1:02:30
not receive all year. That' s why those dates were my refuge,
1:02:34
not someone. In my childish heart, Christmas eclipsed any adversity, although we
1:02:39
usually spent Christmas at the home of some of our relatives. That year,
1:02:45
in particular, our family fortune had changed since one of my father’ s
1:02:50
closest friends offered us refuge in an old home of his grandparents recently uninhabited by
1:02:55
the departure of his last inhabitant. The only condition was to keep the property
1:03:01
clean and take care of the garden, a task we accepted with gratitude.
1:03:06
That house became our most durable home with enough space to accommodate the whole family.
1:03:13
A Christmas dinner was coming that would be unforgettable. On the 24th of
1:03:17
December, in the house there was a complete chaos typical of the Christmas dates.
1:03:22
Hasty adults were engaged in the preparation of dinner and I, being the
1:03:28
only child in the family, received the mission of entertaining myself by watching television.
1:03:32
However, the magic of having a courtyard of my own aroused my curiosity
1:03:37
and I decided to explore that new playground, as there was still sunlight and
1:03:42
as I kicked a ball against the wall a strange sensation took hold of me.
1:03:47
A chill swept through my spine and the certainty that I was not alone
1:03:52
began to sow in my intrigued mind. I turned my head in different directions
1:03:59
trying to figure out where that presence came from. My first guess was that
1:04:03
one of my uncles or family was spying from the house, or maybe they
1:04:08
were looking for me to run some errand or something. However, what I
1:04:13
found was much more surprising and disconcerting. Outside the courtyard shed, a child
1:04:18
stared at me. His figure was trimmed by the distance between us wrapped in
1:04:25
an astronaut blue hoodie with a hood that almost completely shaded his face. The
1:04:30
most peculiar, however, was the wooden mask, which covered much of his
1:04:35
face, giving him an enigmatic air. Despite the strangeness of the scene,
1:04:41
a smile was drawn on my face. The idea of another child showing interest
1:04:45
in me, especially at that very special time, was like an unexpected gift.
1:04:53
I took the ball between my hands and started walking towards it with enthusiasm.
1:04:57
However, as I approached the peculiarity of the child with the mask,
1:05:01
his presence became more evident. I was emanating a strange energy and decided to
1:05:09
proceed with caution just a few steps away. I stopped feeling a sudden discomfort
1:05:14
that told me I shouldn' t go any further. The boy with the
1:05:18
mask broke the silence with a simple wave. Though his voice resonated with the
1:05:23
innocent tonality of a child. The mask added a nuance of mystery to his
1:05:28
words. Intrigued, I could not help but ask about the reason behind his
1:05:32
peculiar, attire why you are wearing that mask inquired and he, shrugging his
1:05:40
shoulders, responded honestly explaining that the sunlight caused him harm. I mentioned to
1:05:45
him that it was cloudy, but he warned that the sun' s rays
1:05:50
could go through the clouds and hurt him. Although strange, I decided to
1:05:54
accept his words without questioning them too much with the barrier of strangeness dissolved to
1:05:59
an n n n r r r to play in my yard we spent a
1:06:01
couple of hours immersed in games and laughter, forging an unexpected but warm friendship.
1:06:08
At the end, we sat on a corner of the courtyard, exhausted
1:06:13
but satisfied. The talk flowed easily and during our conversation I revealed my love
1:06:17
for Christmas, my favorite time of year, and asked myself if he liked
1:06:21
me as much as I did. That' s when the boy' s
1:06:28
response with the mask woven a disquieting shadow into our friendship at Christmas I'
1:06:33
m always very cold. He confessed with a lost look. The contradiction between
1:06:38
his statement and the festive season puzzled me, but I decided not to continue
1:06:43
on the subject, letting the question float in the air. After a while
1:06:47
of lively talk, I realized that the mysterious boy with the mask shared little
1:06:51
about himself. The conversation became unidirectional, where I was overflowing with stories while
1:06:59
he remained wrapped in the veil of the mysterious Blue sweatshirt and the enigmatic wooden
1:07:04
mask. Trying to maintain the vitality of our meeting, I told her that
1:07:10
one of my aunts had brought me a board game and had told me I
1:07:14
could open it now, so I proposed to play. The excitement shone in
1:07:17
his eyes and before he could answer, I ran home to get the game
1:07:23
back. As I walked through the house with the box in my hands,
1:07:28
my mother stopped me intrigued by my haste and explained to her about the new
1:07:31
friend and the possibility of a joint game her face expressed doubt and concern as
1:07:38
she asked me who the child was, because she told me that in our
1:07:43
neighborhood there were no small children, they were teenagers and it was quite strange
1:07:48
that a teenager was playing with me an eight- year- old boy.
1:07:49
But he was more surprised when I mentioned to him that the boy wore a
1:07:55
mask, so he came out next to me to verify who it was.
1:07:58
We both went out into luxury, where he had left the boy with the
1:08:01
mask, but to our surprise, there was no trace of him. My
1:08:05
mother, Incredulous, searched nearby asking the neighbors, but the mysterious child seemed
1:08:12
to have vanished into the air, despite my attempts to locate him. Over
1:08:16
the next few days, the search proved useless. I was walking around the
1:08:23
neighborhood to find him, but over the months, I never saw him again
1:08:27
once, so I figured he was living in another neighborhood and that, for
1:08:30
some reason, he had walked up there and had to go home before dark.
1:08:38
And that' s why he had to leave without saying goodbye to me
1:08:41
or something. So, as the months passed I stopped looking for him and,
1:08:45
as it is typical of that age, I left him aside and you
1:08:48
could say that with the school and the friendships I was making throughout that year,
1:08:54
I forgot and stopped asking myself who he was or what his whereabouts were.
1:08:58
And it was until I arrived the next 24th of December, while I
1:09:03
was in the yard lighting fireworks that my uncles had given me. A familiar
1:09:10
feeling of being observed took hold of me as I turned my gaze toward the
1:09:14
door of the coffee gate. The same figure of the boy with the mask
1:09:17
manifested himself before me dressed in the blue astronaut sweatshirt and the mask of strange
1:09:24
wood, but full of happiness. When I saw the enigmatic child again with
1:09:29
the mask, I ran to him with a smile, illuminating my face.
1:09:32
Despite the lack of visible features. Mutual recognition was sealed with the complicity of
1:09:38
a shared year. For some reason I felt so connected to him and seeing
1:09:44
him again gave me a difficult feeling to describe. With overwhelming joy, I
1:09:49
asked him why he had left unannounced the previous year, but his answers were
1:09:54
evasive. Without going into detail, the mysterious boy expressed his pleasure at meeting
1:10:00
us again and proposed to play. One more time. Without hesitation, I
1:10:03
opened the door of my home and together we created another evening full of laughter
1:10:08
and games. This year I noticed that the child wearing the mask was more
1:10:13
willing to talk and participate in the proposed activities. Last year' s shyness
1:10:17
faded and the connection between us deepened. After voting on all the energies in
1:10:24
various games, we sat back on the corner of the curious courtyard to learn
1:10:30
more about its enigmatic existence. I asked him about the origin of his mask.
1:10:34
The boy revealed that his mother had made it for him. They had
1:10:40
tried other masks before, but none fit their needs until their mother created it,
1:10:45
making sure it didn' t come off. The question about why the
1:10:49
mask led to a disconcerting explanation. The young man revealed that his skin suffered
1:10:57
serious consequences if exposed to the sun. He related an incident when, even
1:11:01
smaller, the mask slipped and left his face vulnerable to the sun, causing
1:11:06
painful blisters. The strangeness of history involved me, but the sincerity in his
1:11:13
eyes made me accept his words. The conversation took an even more intriguing turn
1:11:18
when I asked him if he could remove his mask in total darkness he said
1:11:23
yes, but in the room there should not be many spotlights and they could
1:11:28
not be very close to him, thus leaving in the air the possibility of
1:11:31
seeing his face. I was about to propose that we go into the house
1:11:36
to turn off the lights. When my uncle' s voice resounded calling me
1:11:41
from the entrance as I turned to respond to the call and then turning back
1:11:45
in the direction of my friend. Reality was abruptly manifested. The kid in
1:11:49
the mask was gone. He disappeared without leaving a trace like a shadow that
1:11:56
fades into the shadow. The strangeness flooded my being When I realized the absence
1:12:00
of the child with the mask, I had not seen his departure nor could
1:12:04
I see him in any direction that still trying to process what happened for a
1:12:11
few minutes. However, my uncle approached with the request that I should help
1:12:15
in some tasks. I tried to explain the mysterious disappearance of the child,
1:12:20
but my uncle seemed to diminish the importance by attributing the event to a child
1:12:27
' s own imagination. I insisted that that child was real, but my
1:12:30
uncle told me it was too big for imaginary friends and I had to stop
1:12:34
saying that. I did the errands entrusted by my uncle and despite my attempts
1:12:41
to look again for the child with the mask, I never found him again
1:12:45
at that time. My days usually passed until the next 24th of December.
1:12:51
At that time he still resided in the same house. However, the news
1:12:57
of the construction of a new home for my family resounded in my ears at
1:13:00
ten years old. The prospect of having a permanent place to call home compensated
1:13:08
for the nostalgia he could feel for leaving behind that first house he had called
1:13:12
home. On that particular day, television had monopolized my attention until about one
1:13:19
o' clock in the afternoon, An unusual idea crossed my mind the possibility
1:13:24
that the child with the mask would appear again in my yard. At this
1:13:28
time, I was intrigued only at Christmas to visit relatives. I wondered if
1:13:33
this time I could get my family to see it too. Despite the doubt,
1:13:38
I decided to go out in the courtyard. I looked around in the
1:13:42
hope of finding the child, but there was no sign of him. After
1:13:46
a few minutes tempted by the comfort of my favorite show, I considered going
1:13:53
back inside. However, a subtle squeaking noise caught my attention emerging from the
1:13:58
great sahuán of my courtyard. I immediately looked back and saw him again with
1:14:02
the same stature and immutable mask. The child was there and the repetition of
1:14:09
this mysterious encounter raised more questions than answers. I stood there watching the boy
1:14:16
with the mask wave his hand in greeting. I headed to the gate to
1:14:21
open him up and let him in. But something was strange, since,
1:14:26
while I had grown a few inches over those years, he was exactly the
1:14:30
same as the first time I saw him However, I decided not to comment
1:14:34
on it and invited him in. The boy proposed to play ball, but
1:14:41
the icy winter did not allow outdoor activities. I was surprised that I was
1:14:46
wearing only the loose astronaut sweatshirt, as the extremely cold weather would require more
1:14:51
shelter. However, he seemed immune to this at my suggestion to play video
1:14:58
games inside. His bewildered expression made it clear that he preferred outdoor activity.
1:15:03
I reluctantly agreed to play ball. The initial cold was displaced by the heat
1:15:10
generated by the game and soon I found myself enjoying the boy' s company
1:15:15
with the mask. After we ran out again we sat in the same corner
1:15:19
of the courtyard. It was at that moment that I decided to ask him
1:15:24
why he had gone so mysteriously. Last time, the boy explained that he
1:15:28
was afraid to be seen by my uncle, claiming that adults hated him and
1:15:31
considered him a monster. I tried to convince him that my uncle wouldn'
1:15:36
t do something like that and that, in fact, he was very kind.
1:15:40
However, the boy insisted that all adults hated him and that my uncle
1:15:44
would not be the exception. Faced with his words, I realized that I
1:15:48
could not invite him in if he did not want to be seen. So
1:15:51
for the first time in all those years we said goodbye I saw the boy
1:15:57
with the mask leaving my hi yard headed for his destiny. I returned to
1:16:01
my home this time unobstructed by the unknown of who that mysterious child really was
1:16:08
persisting in my mind, but that afternoon marked the first goodbye we had shared
1:16:14
the following year. Our house was practically ready to say goodbye to us,
1:16:19
as my parents announced it would be the last Christmas we would spend in that
1:16:25
home. The move was scheduled for December thirty- one and we would wake
1:16:30
up in the new year in our new residence. At my eleven years in
1:16:33
the middle of pre- adolescence. The idea of going out to play was
1:16:38
not exciting to me, but I felt an internal force that pushed me out
1:16:43
into the courtyard, knowing that my mysterious friend would appear, as I had
1:16:48
done in previous years punctually the boy in the mask. Soon he stood in
1:16:53
front of the gate after opening the door to him his enthusiasm for playing the
1:16:57
ball. He expressed himself again. However, this time I felt a little
1:17:00
older for those games and told him that I did not want to participate.
1:17:04
I noticed the disappointment on his face and we sat on the lawn to chat.
1:17:10
During the conversation, the subject of the move arose. By revealing that
1:17:14
this would be our last Christmas in that house. I expected a melancholy reaction
1:17:19
from my friend, but to my surprise he got up and reproached me for
1:17:25
leaving him and following the path of those who left him alone bewildered. I
1:17:30
tried to explain to him that it wasn' t my choice, but my
1:17:34
parents' decision. However, the masked child did not seem willing to accept
1:17:39
reasons and as his tone of voice increased, I noticed a strange distortion,
1:17:44
as if his childish tone was somehow altered in the face of my growing discomfort,
1:17:49
I stood up to withdraw, but the child with the mask stopped me
1:17:54
with a surprisingly strong grip in an act desperate to free myself, used my
1:18:00
free hand to hold on to his mask and pulled hard, finally pulling it
1:18:04
away. After the mask was removed, the child was exposed, revealing a
1:18:12
face marked by scars and malformations. Surprised and frightened, I managed to get
1:18:17
rid of his firm, grabbed and ran back to my house. I looked
1:18:20
out the window, but the enigmatic child was no longer there. A feeling
1:18:26
of relief invaded me recognizing that that would be my last Christmas in that place
1:18:30
and hopefully, the last time I would face the mysterious visitor. Christmas dinner
1:18:35
happened normally, but December thirty- one marked the beginning of our move to
1:18:41
a new home. While carrying belongings in the truck, something caught my attention
1:18:47
in the house across the open window an unusual detail. As I looked inward,
1:18:54
I discovered a photograph of the boy with the mask and the astronaut sweatshirt
1:18:59
identical to the image I had seen over the years. Disconcerted. Before I
1:19:05
could fully process the situation, my neighbor closed the window. Asked what was
1:19:11
going on, I asked her about the boy and she, in a serious
1:19:15
tone, shared that he was one of her nephews who passed away a decade
1:19:19
ago. He was born with a facial malformation that had led him to a
1:19:24
life full of hospital suffering until he finally succumbed to an infection. My neighbor
1:19:30
with respect, but without going into details, explained that his nephew had found
1:19:34
peace after years of silent struggle. I assimilated the shocking revelation and retired.
1:19:41
This story has weighed in my mind over the years, sowing the question as
1:19:45
to whether that child continues to appear in the house I left behind. Anonymous accounts