There was never any doubt that it was Cucuy that had been following Boy’s brother, Flaco, when he was walking home from the high school basketball game at night.
Flaco dashed inside his home as soon as he got close and startled his jefitos, who’d been staying up for him and watching TV.
“Epale, Flaco. What’s wrong with you rushing in like that?” his jefito said.
“Pos, somebody was following me all the way from school, so I ran in at the last moment,” Flaco said.
“Following you? You see’em?” his jefito said.
“Nel, I could just feel somebody was behind me everywhere I went,” Flaco said.
His jefito looked at his jefita and wrinkled his brow.
“When you were walking, were the dogs barking behind you or only in front?” his jefito asked.
“Hmmm. Now that you ask, the dogs we’re barking at all,” Flaco said.
His jefito gave him a look of astonishment.
“Is it windy outside, o qué?” he asked Flaco.
“Uhhh…I don’t know,” Flaco said.
“Did you stop and start to make sure somebody was following you?” his jefito asked.
“Nel,” said Flaco.
“Any cars come by?” he asked Flaco.
“I think so,” Flaco said, looking down to remember what had happened.
“Why’d you walk home? Why didn’t your friends give you a ride?” his jefito asked.
“Oh, because the game was going too long and I wanted to leave before they did,” said Flaco.
“And when you were walking across the parking lot, did you see anybody following you?” his jefito asked.
“Nel. But I wasn’t looking,” said Flaco.
“Who do you think was following you? You in trouble with somebody or something?” his jefito asked.
“Nobody…that I know of,” said Flaco.
“So you just felt it, not hear or see anybody?” his jefito asked.
Flaco nodded, his face looking down.
After a long pause, his jefito turned to his wife and shook his head.
“No sound. Even the dogs in the barrio couldn’t hear it. It even calmed the wind. Must’ve been Cucuy, ” his jefito said.
“And you sure it didn’t get you?” he asked further.
“I don’t think so,” said Flaco.
“Pos, we’ll see tomorrow if you’re no longer afraid to go out in the night,” said his jefito.
Flaco looked up and gave him a puzzled look.
“That’s how Cucuy get’s you. It makes you afraid of going out at night,” his jefito explained.
“Come on, vieja, let’s go to bed. That’s all we can do,” he turned and said to his wife.
“Cucuy doesn’t come into houses. I stays outside at night and follows scared boys,” he added.
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