Prologue

 

   Not so long ago, during the ninties, rumors spread, throughout the press of a heretofore-unknown species of legendary Latin American monster known as the Chupacabra. The name literally means “goat sucker” in Spanish. It was so named because the first victims of its predations were goats, which were discovered with all the blood sucked out of them. From there the monster soon translated its thirst to other livestock., including cattle. The chupacabra scare occurred across many countries, including Mexico and Puerto Rico. No evidence was to be found of the mysterious beast, but some few claimed to have gotten glimpses of the creature. It walked up right, had scales like a lizard, and long spines, some said. Others claimed it had weird, glowing eyes, like an alien. Though the Chupacabra scare reached its apex during the nineties, the first rumors of it occurred decades earlier, during the seventies. Before that, the origins of such a creature become lost in the mists of history. This story track the possible origins of the  mysterious chupacabra. Our story begins in 1973, at the height of the Hanna-Barbera’s cartoon era. ………

 

                                Goober and the Ghost Chasers

                               Abra-Chupacabra

 

     The jetliner cruised through the clouds, from California, U.S.A., bound for Vera Cruz, Mexico. On board were the staff of Ghostchaser’s Magazine, a zine that ran articles on hauntings and other paranormal activity. The Ghostchasers consisted of Ted, the level-headed leader, Tina, who did most of the actual writing for the mag, and Gilly, the photographer. Also Aboard was Goober, the Ghostchasers’ dog, who just happened to be the world’s only ectoplasmic canine (or at least, he was the only one anyone knew of). That is, Goober had the habit of becoming invisible, usually when nervous or frightened, especially when confronted by one of the spooky spirits the team encountered. Ghostchasers didn’t get as much publicity as, say, Mystery Inc., but unlike Scooby-Doo and the gang, a fair number of the spirits they chased down were genuine, though a fair number were also of the crooks-in-rubber-suits variety. Goober was a lanky blue afgan hound with floppy, bluish-green ears, and a voice similar to that of Snaggle-Puss, with a cowardly demeanor to match. He wore an orange sock-like stocking cap, which was the only part of him that didn’t become invisible with the rest of him. Ted and Tina had taken seats in front of the others. Directly behind them, Gilly and Goober sat next to each other. Behind them were four youngsters who also accompanied the Ghostchasers on their various missions. These were the Partridge Kids, Danny and Laurie. Seated behind them were their two younger siblings, Chris and Tracy. The Partridge kids’ mom, Shirley, and their older brother Keith, were at that moment traveling en route to Vera Cruz in their touring bus. The Partridge family had formed a band shortly after Mr. Partridge had sadly passed away some years ago. They had a concert booked in Vera Cruz, where they were to meet with the Ghostchasers. The four younger Partridges often hung out with the Ghostchasers, as their office building was only a block away from the Partridge house. Once they had become fast friends, they often accompanied the  Ghostchasers on their various assignments. Since Ted and Tina, were very responsible teens, Mrs. Partridge didn’t mind this as long as they all stuck together. She wasn’t all that sure about Gilly though—he was more danger prone, always snapping off pictures what ever the danger involved. So she reminded them to always stick with Tina and Ted as much as possible, and not to wonder off ny themselves in any spooky old mansions. But mostly she didn’t worry. Ever since they had formed a band, the Partridges were already used to traveling around the globe, just like the Ghostchasers. That gave them something in common. Keith didn’t care a flip about ghost chasing, and was never on these exertions. But that wasn’t so bad—it made the Partridge kids feel all the more grown up.

     “Boy, I can’t wait to get to Vera Cruz.” Gilly was saying. “I’m gonna get me some great shots of the city. And then maybe we can have time to relax on the beach. How ‘bout you Goob?”

     Goober was busily stuffing his mouth with honey-roasted peanuts. “Me? Sakes!” He said around a crunchy mouthful. “I just hope the service is as swell as on this plane!” 

     “Boy, just wait till we get to the Santa Carla Hotel!” Danny Partridge said. “I hear the food’s terrific! And they’ve got swimming pools and cocktail service!’

    “Danny!” Laurie said. “you know we’re too young to drink.”

     “Awww, I didn’t mean that.” Said Danny. “I’ll just be ordering a pineapple soda of something. I’t the service, I’m takn’ about! They probably have some real babes…er…older women.”

    Laurie laughed. “Well, maybe. But I wouldn’t count on them giving you the time of day.”

    “Oh really?” said Danny. “Wait till they find out I’m the lead singer for the Partridges!”

    “Danny, you’re still a kid….”

     “Just wait. You’ll see.”

    “What I’m waiting for is finding more haunted houses ‘an stuff!” said Chris excitedly.

     “Yeah!” exclaimed Tracy. “I’ll bet that hotel we’re booked at turns out to be haunted.”

    “With a six hundred year-old Aztec mummy in the basement!” Chris finished.

     “Now, hold on, you two.” Cautioned Ted from two seats in front. “We’re not on a mission this time, kids. What we want is some relaxation time. You’re the ones who have a job remember?”

    “But you know how it is,” said Chris. “Even when we’re not looking for ghost, one usually finds us!”

     Ted laughed good-naturedly. “Well, I wouldn’t count on it this time. There’s not much spooky about Santa Mera hotel.” And it was true. They were heading to a spacious, luxurious hotel in the heart of a bustling modern city. No room for wierdness there. But even so, Ted had to admit Chris was right.  Spirits did have a manner of turning up when you least expected them to.

 

     The jetliner landed in Vera Cruz. They got off and headed for the Santa Mera, which turned out to be a huge hotel, eighteen stories high. They had all their luggage taken up to their room. The manager showed the Partridge kids the room where they were scheduled to perform three nights from tonight. Then they took a tour of the city, and Gilly got to snap pictures of the historic sights. Ted, Tina, and the Partridge kids window shopped and visited the gift stores. Danny bought a few post cards to send back to his friends in California. Chris bought the latest issue of Mighty Mysteries Comics-a Mexican edition- which featured a creepy story about vampire invaders from space.  They also got a chance to spend some time sun bathing on the beach and playing volleyball. Gilly and Goober went surfing. Then they spent some time in the hotel pool, and game room. By night they were tuckered out, and slept soundly in their beads. For the Ghostchasers it was pleasant change of place from hunting town restless spirits.

     But by the next morning, Keith and Mrs. Partridge still hadn’t shown up, and they decided to spend the day exploring countryside east of the city. Gilly had gotten a hotel brochure advertising all things to see and do in the vicinity. For a while they discussed all the possibilities, but at last they all agreed on visiting the quaint little village of Terra Carta. The village was famed for its cattle, sheep and goat ranches, and was a major producer of wool.  There was a deep, scenic canyon near the village, that featured a river with kyak rides. There was historic San Juan Cathedral located there, and not far from the village, some genuine ancient Aztec ruins. It seemed that some wealthy landowner virtually ran the village and was in charge to the tourist attractions. 

      They drove over miles of barren scrubland, dominated by saguaro cactus. It took most of the morning to get there, driving due west from Veracruz. When they reached the village, they first noticed the beating flocks of goats and sheep, roaming the hilly ranchlands. There were the herds of lowing cattle as well. Yet there was a faint air of unease about the place. There were a fair number of people about, not many tourists. In fact, not a one, which was very peculiar for this time of year, if the village was supposed to be a historic landmark. When they parked by a tourist station, a young man pulled up in a jeep and greeted them.

     The visited the cathedral, and some of the antique Spanish-style mansions, that were now open to the public. But still they were puzzled by the lack of other tourists.

    “Gee wonder where everybody is.” Said Gilly.

    “Well, maybe that guy there might know.” Tina offered.

     She pointed to a young man who appeared to be about eighteen drive up to the front of a café’ on a motor bike. He had a camera slung around his neck, which meant he might be a fellow tourist.

    “Pardon us,” Tina said to the young man as he swung off his motor bike, “But we’re from Ghostchasers magazine, and we just thought maybe you could tell us what’s going on around here.”

     The man looked at here and the others questioningly. He was dark-haired and Hispanic, and wore jeans and a blue balzor.

   “So….”he said. “I take you’re not from Terra Carta?”

   “No…we’re from California, actually.” Ted answered. He told about how they were supposed to meet up with the rest of the Partridge family in Veracruz.

    “Hey,--you kids look familiar,” the young man said, as he noticed the Partridge kids. “Aren’t you Danny Partridge? And Laurie?”

     “Yep.” Said Danny. “You’re looking at the one and only.”

     “Holy cow! You guys must have a concert in Veracruz, that’s why you’re here! Outasight! My sister Jaunita, has all your albums. She thinks you’re the greatest!”

    “Then she certainly has good taste then.” Danny answered.

    “Glad to here it.” Said Laurie. “But we’re just passing through, and we wanted to know how come we seem to be the only ones here. The only outsiders, I mean.”

     “Well…..” the young man looked suddenly apprehensive, as though he desperately wanted to say everything was fine, this is how this village always is, even at the height of the tourist season, but somehow couldn’t. “I’m not really all that sure. It’s….

    “What?” Laurie persisted.

    “Well, it’s seems something’s been scaring the tourists away lately. It’s kinda hard to explain, for about four months now the livestock has been disappearing?”

    “Oh, yeah?” asked Ted. “Any idea who’s doing it? Rustlers?”

    The eighteen-year-old shook his head. “No one knows. But folks have gotten nervous, and everyone stays inside at night.”

    “Wow.” Said Tina  “Sounds kinda creepy.”

     Goober cast a long side ways glance through the deserted streets, where the adobe dwellings were already beginning to cast lengthy shadows as the afternoon light shifted towards evening.

    “You bet. Creepy enough to total the tourist business around here, that’s for sure. But hey! This is so far-out, meeting the for real Partridge kids and all. And the rest of you, are you part of the band or what?”

    “Not really.” Said Tina. “We’re just good friends. The kids come with us all the time when we work on cases.”

    “What kind of cases, as if I didn’t know?”

     “Stuff having to do with spooks and spirits and stuff. “I’m Tina, the writer for Ghostchasers, and this is Ted who handles most of the equipment. And this is Gilly, the photographer, and our dog Goober. And you’re familiar with the Partridge kids.”

      “Far out. My Grandad owns a big mansion on the west side of town. Why don’t you guys all come and spend the night there. We’d sure be glad to have you! It’s a long ways back to the Santa Mera, and it’ll be getting dark soon.”

   “That sounds great.” Said Tina.

    “Then let’s do it. Said Ted. “Danny can call Mrs. Partridge and tell her where we’re staying if she happens to show up before then.

    “”By the way, my name’s Jandro.” The man said  “ Jandro Perez. “just follow me. I’ll show you the way.”

  

    The mansion, it turned out, was a grand place, modeled in the antique Spanish style. A small fountain spurted and bubbled in front, in the center of the wide, circular driveway.  They got out, and looked the place over. There was a huge shiny black limo parked near the spacious porch., and what looked like a large garden filled with exotic cactus off to the right. It was then that they noticed a man sitting in the spreading shade of an ash large tree. He was wearing jeans and overalls, and a tattered brim hat which was pulled down over his eyes. Obviously, this was a servant or caretaker of some kind. Though the man was not working, it was evident that he had been. There was a wheel barrow filled with reddish earth nearby, and a huge round hole was dug to the left of him, along with a shovel, clippers, and some gardening tools.

     “Who’s the fellow taking a snooze?” Gilly asked.

    “Oh, that’s—“ Jandro started.

    But just then, the man got to his feet, and walked toward them. As he got closer, they saw that he was older than they first thought, maybe in his sixties. His skin was burnt a deep sun-brown, and his face was a veritable mass of lines and creases. He regarded them with squinted eyes with a curiosity that did not seem either hostile, nor particularly friendly. “Who are you kids, and what are you doing here?” he asked, in a needly kind of voice. “I didn’t know the master was expecting guests.”

     “Everything’s fine, Ebiro.” Jandro said. “These are special guests.”

     “Who invited them?” Ebiro asked, now sounding genuinely suspicious.

     “I invited them.” Jandro replied. “They’re friends of mine.”

    “Friends, he? I don’t recall seen’ ‘em around here before.”

    “That’s because we just met. I invited them to stay here tonight.”

    The old man scratched his chin. “now, that there might not be such a good idea.”

    “Why not? It’s still the tourist season, isn’t it?”

     “You know very well why not!” Ebiro snapped. “Tell them they can’t stay! We don’t accept tourists anymore!”

     “Sure we do. They just don’t show up much  nowadays…..because….well, because…..”

     “Because they’re afraid!” said Ebiro. “Of the chupacabra!”

     “The chupa-what?!” asked Tina.

     “The… er….chupacabra……” Jandro explained. “It’s kind of a local legend around here. Just started around the start of the tourist season. I told gramps he might use it to bring tourists in. But….I guess it’s gotten kinda outa hand now. People around here started getting scared. And I mean way scared—like they won’t even go out after dark. Then the tourist noticed, and even they started staying away.”

    “And they’ll keep staying away, if they know what’s good for them.” Ebiro finished.

    “But we’re from Ghostchasers magazine.” Said Tina. “What is a chupcabra? Sounds like it might make for a terrific story to me!”

     “It’s what’s been stealing all the local’s livestock.” Ebiro said, in a whispery, cryptic voice. “Started ‘bout four months ago, when farmer started complaining something was stealing their goats..n’ off with ‘em in the dark of night.

     “’Chupacabra’” mused Tina thoughtfully. “That means “goat sucker, doesn’t it?”

     “Well, I fer one, know what a sucker is.” Smirked Goober in an aside, as he licked a lollipop he and Gilly had bought at a local store. “I guess it takes one to know one, I always says.”

    “That’s right!” said the old man. “And you know why? Because all the blood was sucked out of the carcasses.”

   “No way!” exclaimed Ted.

    “Way.” Replied Ebiro barring his jagged teeth in a ghastly smile. “But it didn’t stop with goats. Oh, no!” Then it went on to the seehp and from then on to cattle. Then one of the master’s ranchhands got a glimpse of the thing.”

   “Oh, yeah?’ asked Chris Partridge, visibly excited. “What’d it look like?”

    “It walked upright like a man.” Hissed Ebiro, “With long stringy arms, and claws that shown in the moonlight. And big ‘ol long spines growing out its hunched-over back! But then other reports came as well. By now we all knew that thing was real, ‘cuz even though the reports differed, they were also more or less in agreement. One of the local peasant folk claimed he got a look at the thing’s face. He said it had big glowy saucer-eyes like some critter for another world, and big pointed fangs—“ here he barred his unsightly teeth for emphasis, causing Goober to shudder and clasp his paws over his eyes.

“if I were you kids I’d clear outa here now.” The old man turned round and headed back under the tree, where he resumed his daily siesta.

    “I toldja we’d run into something weird!” laughed Chris.

     “Guess you kids were right.” Said Ted. “Good thing we packed our specter detector and haunter taunter. This is gonna be some mystery!”

    “Wow!”  said Laurie. “Guess we didn’t know what we were getting into.”

    “Hey, not so fast.” Jandro laughed. “That’s just old Ebiro Ramirez, the gardener. Don’t tell him I said this, but I kinda think he’s a bit touched in the head from being out in the sun too long. “I wouldn’t pay him any attention.”

        “But all that stuff about a monster,” said Gilly. “You mean it’s not true?”

        “Well, part of is.” Jandro admitted. “Something has been carrying off livestock . But those reports are just rumors, that’s all. And you know how rumors are. Once they get started, it’s like a domino effect. Before long, everyone’s believing them like gospel. You see what it’s done to my abuelo’s tourist business. But it’s like everything else. Give it enough time, rumors go away and tourists come back. Just the fact you guys are here tells me things ‘ll be back to normal before long. And anyway, whoever or whatever’s stealing livestock, it’s never hurt any person, that much I know.”

    “All the ame.” Said Ted. “I think maybe it wouldn’t hurt to check some of those rumors out while we’re here.”

    Jandro shrugged. “Suit yourself. Oh, hi Grampa.”

     They turned and were greeted at the front steps by a portly older man with gray a fat, sleek black mustache.  in  an expensive-looking white suit.

      “Welcome, senors, and senoritas” said the man, smiling a full set of teeth, in what seemed an extraordinarily wide mouth.

   “my name is Luis-Fernandez Maldiro. I hope you enjoy my private museum, and our charming villa.”

    “Pleased to meet you,” said Ted. “We’re from Ghostchasers magazine. This is our dog Goober, and these are the Partridge kids. Your grandson invited us over.”

    “Very charming indeed.” Luis-Fernandez said. “Jandro will show you to your rooms, and –about the dog, you must keep him in one of my kennels. I’m afraid I’m allergic. A-CHOO!” he sneezed loudly, and covered his reddish nose with a silk handkerchief.

    “How do ya like that?” asked Goober of some unseen audience. “A canineaphobe!”

    “Come on, Grampa.” Said Jandro. “He’s one of our guests. You could wear that mask of yours!”

    “Okay then,” said Luis-Fernendez. “The dog can stay. Just keep him as far away from me as possible. I don’t dislike dogs you understand, kids. It’s just that I sneeze around them is all.”

     Luis-Fernandez had a servant take the kids’ bags up to their room.  Danny Partridge phoned their mom who was staying at the Hotel Rviiare to tell them where they would be, and to cancel their reservation at the Santa Carla. The rooms at Luis-Fernandez’s mansion were spacious and comfy, even better than back at the hotel. Jandro introduced them to his sister Jaunita. He explained that they were both college students enrolled at Southern Georgia University in Xalapa, and were majoring in photography. That explained the camera around Jandro’s neck. Jaunita showed them her room in the east wing. It looked pretty much like any normal teenager’s room back in the states. The were posters of David Cassidy and Josie and the Pussycats on the walls, along with other famous pop stars.

    Then one of the servants took them on a tour of the mansion which included the private museum. This included many ancient artifacts of Aztec and Toltec origin, such as weapons, urns, statues, clay tablets, headdresses, and ceremonial masks, as well as some swords and helmets from the Spanish conquest. The funny thing was, the entire mansion, although styled like that of the Spanish aristocracy, also included much architecture and furnishings that were deliberately reminiscent of the older meso American civilizations. These included the railing and banisters on the staircases, and the frames of some of the doors, especially in the quest rooms and the frames of the beds where they would sleep tonight. Some of this was imitation of course, but some of it—some of the doorframes especially—almost looked authentic, as though the work might have been hundreds of years old. The melding of the two styles reflected the astute tastes of Luis-Fernandez himself, who explained that he had the entire mansion renovated according to his interest in history.

    That evening, they had dinner in the huge banquet hall, whose style and furnishings were definite late sixteenth century Spanish. The long table was laid out with many different Mexican foods, including spicy Jalapeno cake, Fuijita-style beef tacos, enchiladas stuffed with fried rice and baked with melted cheese, hot steaming molletes, served with Mexican chocolate, crispy hot tosados, plates piled with  quesadillas fried in hot, spicy Mexican cheese, and bowl filled with chunks of pineapple, orange slices, and other refreshing fruits. There were many more dishes as well, all prepares by the master’s seven cooks and set out for all of them.

     “It’s really swell, you and your grandkids inviting us here tonight.” Ted said. “Your guys must of worked really hard to prepare all this.”

     “Do not mention it, senor. We treat all our guests the same. It is an honor to have you.”

     “Yeah,” put in Gilly, munching around a tortilla. “This food sure is great. Goober likes it too. Right Goob?”

     Goober was at that moment munching on some hot chili peppers. Suddenly his eyes bulged, his bluish face becoming bright red. All at his floppy ears shot up and steam jetting out both of them. He then seized a bowl of fruit punch and gulped it down, until he had drained.

    “Haha! Remember not to eat too many of those, Goober!” laughed Danny.

   “Whatdoyaknow!” said Goober in another aside. “All this Mexican cuisine makes me hot under the collar. Dog collar that is!”

    “Most of this food comes from my own private gardens.” Explained their host. “And my ranches. The meat comes form there.”

    “Is that right!” said Tina. “So what are we eating, exactly?”

    “Some of it is beef. But mostly I raise goats. They are the most economical here.”

    “You mean we’re eating goat tacos and enchiladas?” Gilly asked, slightly surprised.

   “Now that you mention it, yes.”

    For some reason, that made Tina and the others apprehensive. Not so much that they were eating goat, but that Lusi-Fernandez raised them.

     All at once there was a loud puff  of smoke. Everyone at the table gasped, and looked in the direction. When the smoke clear, there, seated in the one empty chair at the table was an uninvited guest of the ghostly variety.

    He was white all over and insubstantial, but they could tell that he was some ancient monarch from the days of the Aztec empire. A forgotten emporer, like Montazuma, maybe. He wore an imperial headdress of fanned quetzal feathers, and a great sashed robe. His bearing was regal, yet also corrupt.  His eyes surveyed the entire banquet table. They all were stunned into silence, including Luis-Fernandez himself.

     “INTRUDERS!” bellowed the apparition in a spectral voice. “WHO DARES INTRUDE UPON THE SACRED GROUNDS OF LORD EMPORER XAPTELEC IV?”

     “Sir”, said Tina to the outraged spirit, as soon was she found her voice. “We’re from Ghostchasers magazine. If you don’t mind, sir, we’d like to ask you a few questions.”

    “SILENCE! BEGONE INTRUDRS, FROM MY LAND, OR YOU ALL SHALL SUFFER THE VAMPIRE’S CURSE! WAIT! WHAT IS THIS?”

    “Oh, no.” moaned Gilly when he saw what was happening.

    Goober, invisible except for his stocking cap, had climbed on the table, and was frolicsomely taunting the spirit.

   “WHAT?!” boomed the spirit. “WHAT IS THIS? A DOG WHO BECOMES INVISIBLE? WHAT MANNER OF WITCHCRAFT IS THIS?”

      “It’s no witchcraft.” Laughed Gilly who was busily snapping the apparition’s photograph. “That’s Goober.”

    “NO MATTER!” raged the spirit. “I”LL GET YOU!!” The Aztec ghost made a grab for Goober’s orange cap, which promptly pulled out of reach in the last instant. Goober snickered.

    “HOW DARE YOU MOCK MY ROYAL PERSON!” raved Lord Xapelec., as he made another grab where Goober should have been, but wasn’t, and then another. Each time the bright cap jiggled, with that sniggering laughter. He then picked up some of the fruits from the center[piece and began throwing them at the ghost. The spirit must have been at least partly substantial as the fruits exploded was the impacted with him.

     MISERABLE MUTT!” raved Lord Xapelec. “ILL GET YOU FOR THIS!”

  Goober continued to taunt the spirit, but as usual he forgot that his invisibility was only temporary. He appeared, lying nonchalantly on the table in a relaxed position, with a big goony smile on his muzzle.

     “Goober, look out! You’re visible!” called Gilly.

    “A-HAH!” raged the ghost in sudden triumph, seeing his canine tormentor before him.

   He lunged for the dog, but at the last moment Goober skeedaled out of the way and hid quaking under the table.

   “BEGONE, FOOLISH INTERLOPERS!” warmed the ghost ominously. “OR I SHALL MAKE ALL OF YOU SUFFER!!!!” 

   And he was gone in a puff of smoke, as quickly as he came.”

    “Gosh sakes!” Tina exclaimed.

  “Wow!” exclaimed Ted. “ Did anything like this ever happen before around here?”

    They looked at their host, and saw that Luis-Fernandez had gone deathly white.

   “NO! the man stammered. “This has never happened! This mansion is not haunted! At least—not till now!”

    “You have any idea who that ghost was?” asked Tina.

    Luis-Fernandez whipped his sweaty face with a silk handerchief. “ Lord Xapeltec IV once owned land right where my property is. Some of my artifacts come from his palace. But no one has ever reported seeing his ghost before!”

     When they were getting ready for bed, Ted said to Tina, “Ya know I’ve been thinking….”

    “About what, Ted?”

    “About that kooky spirit interrupting dinner tonight. There was something funny about that.”

    “You, mean like how he’s never appeared before.”

    “No. I mean I had my spektor detector out the moment I saw him. And you know what?”

    “Don’t tell me…”

   “There was no reaction! Which means he’s not a real ghost.”

    “And that means someone wants to scare us away. Fist there’s whatever’s supposed to be stealing livestock, now this.”

   “Right. It’s like someone wants us out of here, and when the chupacabra stories didn’t work, they tried a new approach. But who?”

    “That creepy old gardener!” said Tina suddenly. “He seemed pretty eager to have us gone.”

    “True, Tina. But what would he have to gain?”

   “Maybe there’s some kind of smuggling operation with all these goats and livestock, and they’re using this monster story as a cover. And our gardener friend is in on it.”

    “Could be Tina. Right now, we’ll get some rest, and we’ll look for clues tomorrow morning.”

   Meanwhile, Gilly and Goober were in their room preparing to turn in. “Long day, huh Goob?”

    “That ghost was redic-alic-aliculous.”

     “At least I got some fantasitic shots of him. Well we’ve got all day tomorrow to chase ghosts. G’night, Goober.”

Gilly, already in his pjs, pulled on the covers.

   Before going to bed, Goober took one last look in the mirror, fixing to comb his ears just in case he were to meet an attractive female Chihuahua---and gasped in astonishment.

    It wasn’t his own reflection he saw staring back at him. It was the ghost.

   The hauty face of the long-dead monarch glowered at him, impossibly, from the glass. Goober yipped, and and dove across the room and under the covers beside Gilly.

    “What?!” said Gilly, visibly annoyed. “Goober! What do you think you’re doing! Use your own bed!”

   Teeth loudly chattering, Goober popped his head up and pointing a quivering paw toward the mirror. “Arf! Arf!”

   “So you’re scared of your own reflection? Oh, that’s swell Goob! Go back to sleep.”

    Gilly rolled over and began snoring. Wondering if he’d imagined it all, Goober crept toward the mirror and cautiously peered over the dresser into it.

     This time, he saw only his own silly-grinning face.

    “Shucks! Ghosts in the mirror! How redic-alic-alic ulous!” Goober said to the audience.

   But when he turned back to the mirror there was the ghost, glaring at him as before.

    “Arf! Arf!” cried Goober. This time he yanked off the covers, and pointed frantically at the mirror.

   “What’s gotten into you, Goober? You know ghosts can’t hide in mirrors!”

    “Tell the ghost that.”

    “Oh, for Pete’s sake!” Gilly got up and walked over and took a look in the mirror himself. “See, there’s nobody there but us!”

     Goober gave Gilly a puzzled frown, and leaned with one forepaw against the wall—and then the wall slid back! Goober fell forward into a secret panel.

    “Wow! A secret panel!” exclaimed Gilly. “Nice going Goober! Let’s tell the others.”

     Soon Ted, Tina, Jandro, Juanita, and the four Partridge kids were gathered in the room, examining the secret passage. The gloom-shrouded tunnel seemed to stretch on and on, becoming lost in the darkness.

   “Wonder where it leads.” Said Ted. “Guess there’s only one way to find out. But Chris and Tracy, you two better go back to your rooms. There’s no telling what we might run into in there.”

     “I know.” Said Chris, smiling.

    “You heard Ted,” said Tina. “Remember, we’re in charge of you two when your mom’s not around. And we don’t want you getting hurt.”

     “You’re not grownups.” Chris countered.

    “We’re the closest to them you have right now, so march!”

    “Man, we always miss out.” Complained Chris as they went back to their room.

   “Yeah, the way she talks to us, you’d think we were little kids!” said Tracy.

     They all headed into the tunnel. “Hey! Check this out!” said Ted. He found another, smaller panel in the wall, and slid it back to reveal a secret hidden camera. “I think this is how Goober saw the ghost in the mirror Gilly.”

    “Then…then someone must be trying to scare us out of here.” Gilly said.

   “Right! But we’re not going until we solve this mystery. C’mon.” They started down the gloomy tunnel. Though they couldn’t tell for sure, the masonry looked like the work of the ancient Aztecs. And this tunnel looked old too, like it had been here for hundreds of years. Ted led the way guiding the others with his flashlights.  The tunnel seemed incredibly ancient. The corners were festooned with cobwebs, and more then once they spied a fat spider trundling over the filamentous cables.

    “By the way, Jandro.” said Tina.  “Do you know about this tunnel? And what was all that business the ghost mentioned, about a vampire curse?”

     “I don’t know where the tunnel goes. But I have a hunch it leads underground . You see. Before they built this mansion, the palace of Lord Xeptelec VI used to be here. These lands were once his. But some of the place is still here—only they buried it, then built the new mansion over most of it.”

    “So---that’s where we are now! In the old mansion of Lord Xaptelec.”

    “Beyond that, I can’t really tell you much. But…”

    “But what?” Tina persisted.

    “I never thought of mentioning it, until that ghost showed up this evening. But Juanita and I are related to Lord Xeptelec. On my mother’s side.”

    “You’re kidding.”

    “Nope. It’s true. And…well, the creepy thing is that when the ghost mentioned the vampire curse, I remembered that there was something like that in our family history. Lord Xeptelec was supposed to have this power… they said he could somehow turn people into vampires.”

    “Vampires?” Danny asked “As in Dracula?”

    “Not exactly.” said Jandro. “There was some sort of curse he used to put a spell on his enemies. They were kind of like vampires, only they were his slaves.”

     “I remember that story!” Juanita said. “It wasn’t Xepelec himself who put them under that spell. It was his court wizard. According to the story Xeptelec had become power-mad, and wanted to transform a young couple who had exposed him for court fraud.”

    “I’m not sure I want to hear anymore of that, Juanita.” Said Jandro. “Not here in this tunnel.”

   But Tina sensed there was something else about that story that was bugging Jandro. 

     On and on they went. The tunnel seemed to be sloping downward, supporting what Jandro had just said. Quite possibly, this tunnel was a connection between the Luis-Fernandez’s mansion and the ancient Aztec palace that was buried beneath. Goober kept glancing fearfully behind them as the doorway opening into their bedroom diminished, and finally vanished as the prevailing gloom closed over it.

   Finally they came to a fork in the tunnel. Both branches seemed to continue downwards, but at sharper angles.

   “Here’s where we split up.” Ted announced. “Laurie, Tina, and I will go this way. Danny, Gilly and Goober, you guys take the other. Okay?”

    “What about Jandro and Juanita?” Laurie asked.

    “Oh, yeah. You two can go with whoever you want.”

    “Then I’ll go with you and Tina.” Jandro said.

    “And I’ll go with the others.” Said Jaunita.

   As the two parties split up, Gilly and Goober’s group ventured deeper and deeper into the ancient tunnel. But it did not progress in a straight line anymore from this point forward; it zigged and zagged around, the masonry looking even more aged.

   “You never knew about these tunnels, Juanita?”  Gilly asked.

    “I knew there were catacombs under the house,” she said. But I didn’t know there were tunnels from the main floor leading down here.”

    “But haven’t you lived here all your life?” Danny asked.

    Juanita shook her head. “Jandro and I just moved in about a year ago, right before we started collage. We thought it would so cool living in this big mansion and all. It’s less expensive than staying in the dorms, and and helping out with grmpa’s tourist business for summer jobs as great! But…”

    “But what?” asked Danny.

     “It’s just that we never thought things would get so creepy. First the cattle disappearing, and know this ghost business. It like-“

   “Hold it!” said Gilly. “Is….is that light up ahead?” 

   At first everything looked dark. Then the others saw it too. Not ordinary light, but a weird, greenish glow illuminating the tunnel from somewhere far ahead.

   “Looks like it.” Said Danny. “Let’s check it out!”

   But almost as soon as it became apparent, the eerie glow faded away, as though whatever had cast it had moved across the tunnel appearing out of one wall and melting into the next.

   Danny gulped thickly.

   “M-maybe we better go back. I’ve got to practice my singing for the concert and-“

   “You kidding?” said Gilly. “Why, that might have been a ghost or something. And it’s about time I got some more shots! C’mon.”

     They followed Gilly down the winding tunnel, until it ended in a horizontal hallway. “So that’s what happened.” Gilly observed. “Whatever made the light we saw must have been going down this hall. And he had to have been going this way. Let’s go.”

     They crept on into the darkness, which somehow seemed to be massed even more thickly here. Gilly’s flashlight pierced the gloom, but now seemed more feeble than ever. Danny was wanting to go back more than ever by now, but he liked the idea of venturing back through these stygian corridors flooded with pitch black even less. They saw no sign of the weird, fantastic glow they had glimpsed earlier—only blackness.

   How far they traveled none of them was certain. But at length they found the end of the tunnel. This tunnel ended in a black wall, with no visible access.

   “What luck!” said Gilly. “A dead end!”

   “Would you mind not saying the word “dead” while we’re in here, Gilly?” Danny trembled.

   “”Hey, guys, check this out.” Said Gilly, as though he hadn’t heard. “There’s some writng on thewall. Picture writing, sorta like Egyptian.”

   “No, like Mexican.” Said Jaunita. “The writing of the Mexicas, or Aztecs. My own people on my mother’s side.”

   “You don’t suppose you could make any of it out?”

   “I don’t know much of the old language.” Juanita said. “But I did take some classes in school….let me see.”

 Under the light from Gilly’s flashlight, Juanita read the pictograms carefully. Then she pled and stepped back, eyes going wide, and trembling slightly.

   “What’s wrong?” asked Danny.

   “I’m not sure,” said Juanita slowly. “but I think it’s some kind of warning…..telling us to leave here, or we will be doomed…”

    “Like some hokey Egyptian curse?” Gilly scoffed. “C’mon Juanita, you don’t really believe that do you?”

    While they were talking, none of them bothered to notice the weird, green-tinged luminance invade the tunnel behind them.

    None of them but Goober that is. While they were examining the glyphs, the dog had become aware of another stone panel sliding stealthily open in the side wall a few scant feet in back of them. Through this portal, the eerie luminence issued, sending ripples of fear up the dog’s spine. Goober tremblingly peered behind them.

    What he saw in the center of the tunnel made the dog spring into Gilly’s arms.

    “What is it this time Goob? Scare yourself again?” complained Gilly.

    “Arf! Arf!” yelped Goober, pointing frantically up the tunnel. “Arf! Arf!”

   Then he saw it. Danny and Jaunita turned around and they saw it too. They all gasped.

   There, in the dead center of the tunnel, and facing them was a most grotesque horror. Worse than anything they could

have imagined. At first, they could scarcely credit what they were seeing was real.

     The thing stood upright like a man, though it seemed grotesquely hunched over in an inhuman manner. Abnormally elongated arms reached below the thing’s twisted knees. The slender, grasping fingers terminated in long, curvy talons of a glossy black hue. They looked capable of disemboweling an ox. Tow enormous saucer-shaped eyes dominated the “face”, like those of a monstrous insect or an alien. And it was these from which the weird light generated, flooding the corridor walls with a putrid green. It had a wide, almost froglike gash of a mouth that split wide to reveal doglike fangs. The two teeth positioned in front looked unnervingly like vampire fangs, designed for bloodletting. Spreading its clawed arms menacingly, the creature emitted a shrill hissing. A series of grotesque spines curved out of its back like those of a mutant porcupine.

    “Yow!” cried Danny. “What the heck’s that?!”

    Juanita simply starred at the thing in horror.

   Goober hid is eyes and trembled, still locked in Gilly’s arms.

    Gilly also stared open-mouthed at the thing. At first he’d thought Goober’s imagination had gotten the better of him again., but he half expected to see the Aztec ghost. This new weirdo-creature had taken him by surprise. Then he remembered what Ebiro, the caretaker, had told them about the chupacabra, what he called the monster who everyone blamed for stealing the village livestock.

    So here one was!

   Gilly smiled and rasied his camera, as the creature plodded menacingly toward them, hissing. “Hey this must be one of those cupacabra-things the gardener told us about! Far-out! I’m getting us some fantastic shots!” He began snapping off photographs of the thing., as it continued to lurch forward. “That’s it, Mr. Chupacabra! Great! Hey, raise your arms a little more, will you, and keep showing those teeth! Outa sight! What far-out takes! We’ll sell a zillion copies of your cover story!”

    Goober was still covering his eyes and quaking. Jaunita and Danny were remained pertrified. But when the monster made one final, furious lunge for them, they were shocked into action. The old gardener might have said the chupacabra hadn’t carried off any humans, but they weren’t about o be the first!

   Both of them ducked under the flailing arms, and ran. The scooted to a halt as they realized Gilly and Goober hadn’t joined them.

     “Hey!” Danny exclaimed. “Gilly’s still snapping pictures!”

    Gilly stood there as calm as ever, snapping shot after shot of the ravening creature. The continued flashes from the camera were blinding the beast, causing him to stagger, and writhe hissing in anger or fear, and covering his huge saucer-eyes. And that was enough to give Goober all the time he needed. He picked up Gilly and dashed past the beast as it was recoiling from the light.

    “As a certain pink lion would say, Exit, Stage Right!” Goober exclaimed, snickering at his own wit.

Goober raced to join Jaunita and Danny and they all raced down the tunnel the way they’d come. The chupacabra, recovering from its daze, realized what had happened and raced in pursuit.

    “Hey!” exclaimed Gilly. “Put me down! I was just getting some great shots!”

   “It’s not easy bein’ Gilly’s watch dog,” said Goober in another aside,” specilly since I’ve gots to do all the watchn’. Sheesh!”

  

   Meanwhile, Ted, Tina, Laurie and Jandro had reached a large room at the end of their tunnel. It was wide and low-ceilinged, and resembled a place dedicated to human sacrifice. What looked like a low, stone alter as positioned in the center of the chamber.  There were ornamental knives, which looked like sacrificial daggers, each sporting ornately carved handles and blades. The walls were carved with ornate hieroglyphs, and what looked like a symbolic mural, carved in the same limestone, circumscribed the entire perimeter of the chamber.

    “What is this place?” asked Ted.

    “Looks to me like an old temple of human sacrifice.” Said Tina. “The kind the ancient Aztecs used.”

   “I’m not sure about that.” Said Jandro. “It’s Aztec alright. But I don’t think it’s a place for sacrifice.”

    “But the Aztec pyramids were temples…”

    “Right. But the alters were located outside, at the top of the temple steps, in public, not underground like this. But it’s some kind of ceremonial chamber all right.”

     “And look here,” said Ted, pointing to the incriptions on the wall.  “At this mural. It must mean something. Maybe what this temple was for.”

     “It looks like it tells a story or something.” Said Tina.

    The picture showed the symbol for a rising sun, perhaps representing an Aztec sun diety. Then it depicted a young couple, a bride or groom….or perhaps brother and sister. This notion made Jandro gulp at what the pictures told next. It showed the young couple bound to an alter and a robed priest chanting over them, arms raised, obviously reciting  incantations. What came next, however, was the most puzzling. It was more like a series of pictures, similar to ones Tina remembered seeing in books she brought home from the library depicting the evolution of man, only somewhat in reverse. The first representation was a fully human figure, followed by one nearly identical only slightly deformed and hunched over. The next was more grotesquely hunched, and appeared almost animal like with splayed feet, and the beginnings of claws, and even an iguana-type ridge running down the back. The final figure was truly monstrous, depicting a faintly humanoid form with long scraggly arms equipped with long hooked claws, jutting jaws that sported exposed front fangs, and a series of long, grotesquely arched spines curving out of the back like a Mexican porcupine.  And positioned above the series of increasingly devolved forms were carved a series of animal symbols, whose exact meanings they had no idea. They showed a bat, a lizard, a spider, and ….a goat.

     When she identified this last symbol Tina made the connection, and let out a small gasp of fear. The chupacabra was said to have a liking for goats. And the last picture certainly seemed to resemble what they had been told of the chupacabra. “Jandro…do you think this thing is supposed to be….?”

     “I’m not really sure….” Said Jandro reading her thoughts. “ as far as I know, the ancients did not know of any such creature, even in their myths and folklore. I’ve done some research in college on the people on my mother’s side. But this picture does look a lot like the thing Ebiro described to us.”

    “And what does it have to do with this picture of human sacrifice? That doesn’t make sense.”

    “I don’t know. But it was true that the ancients widely believed that the gods craved human blood. Sometimes the emperor and the priesthood used it to keep the conquered kingdoms subdued, and the peasants from revolting. But even the benevolent rulers believed it was important and would sanction it times of famine or drought. But there’s something funny about this. It just doesn’t seem like this is a sacrificial chamber to me. And I’ve never seen anything like that mural before. But it does look like some kind of rituals were conducted here.”

    “Hey, “said Ted,” I think I might have found another clue. Take a look over here.”

     They followed Ted to the side of the chamber. In the right corner there was a gaping hole in the wall. It looked like it had been broken into with pickaxes, and recently at that. Ted shone his flashlight into the orifice. Cautiously he stepped in, with the others behind him. He shone the light around.

    At first, the excavated chamber appeared to be empty. There was loose masonry, and crumbling mortar around the edges. The chamber did not appear to be very large. But then Ted’s beam lighted on something that caused all three of them to gasp in unison. There were two, deep stone rimmed, rectangular depressions in the center of the chamber. They appeared to be….tombs.

     Not particularly wanting to look, they crept close to the edge of one of them-and found it empty. The same proved true of the other one.

   “What’s going on here?” Tina said finally.

   “I’m not sure. If there were any ancient mummies buried here, then whoever broke in here took them.”

   “But why? What does it have to do with this mystery?”

    “I wish I knew, Tina.” Ted answered. “But I have a hunch this is not your everyday archeological dig.”

    “Aiy!” said Jandro., pointing his flashlight into a corner. “Get a load of this!”

     They gathered around him and peered in. There, in the far corner of the chamber, they perceived what looked like some kind of bird nest, made of dry tumbleweeds, and filthy rags. But in the center of the nest lay a huge heap of gleaming white, recently gnawed skulls and bones. From their size, they thought for a mind-numbing instant that the bones might have been human. But then they saw that they were the massed skulls and bones of goats-what might have been dozens of the animals, dragged here to be sucked dry and devoured to the last scrap of flesh.

   None of them even uttered a word, as they stared at the pale, dully gleaming accumulation of death.

   Not until they heard the sounds of running feet in back of them, and the cries of Juanita and Danny as they dashed into the chamber behind them.

    Ted, Tina, Laurie and Jandro emerged back into the main chamber as Danny and Jaunita burst in.

     “What’s up?” Ted asked.

    “Boy, are we glad we found you guys!” cried Danny, out of breath.

   “Did you find any clues?”

    “Did we! We found the chupacabra! It’s after us!”

    “Don’t kid us, Danny.” Tina warned.

    “Who’s kidding! It’s right behind us! Er..right behind Gilly and Goober, anyway.”

    Gilly and Goober! They hadn’t even realized they were missing.

   A second later, they both came running into the chamber. Or rather Goober did, still carrying Gilly, who was still busy snapping off pictures of whatever loomed behind them.

    “Put me down, Goober, you crazy afgan!” Gilly was saying. “How do you expect me to get a steady shot while you’re carrying me?”

    Goober kept running until he reached the others. “Ruff! Ruf! Ruf!” he said, pointing. Toward the tunnel, where, a large gruesome shadow had begun form on the wall, a shadow that curiously eerily resembled the picture carved into the stone mural.

And then the chupcabra itself emerged into the chamber, flooding it with the weird, greenish glow it gave off. Sure enough its skin was mottled and scaly all over, its eyes round and saucer-like. Its two front teeth resembled that of a vampire. It hissed shrilly as it stared at them, the sound sending goosebumps up all their arms save Gilly’s.

    “What are we going to do?’ asked Tina. “That thing has the entrance blocked off.”

   “This way!” said Ted. “I think there might be a way out over here!”

   They ran to the other side of the chamber, and sure enough, there was another entrance, this one another tunnel.

    “Quick, everyone! Through here!” They all dashed into the tunnel. Where it led they didn’t know, only that it was away from the chupacabra.

   Suddenly they realized Goober was missing, and screeched to a halt.

   “Where’s Goober?” Ted asked Gilly.

    “I dunno. The last thing I know is he put me down, and we were running through this tunnel and—“

   “There he is!” Tina gasped.

    They all looked back. There Goober was in the entrance of the tunnel. Only all they could really see of him was his orange stocking cap. He was snickering Gooberish-ly, as his orange hat darted this way in that in front of the confused chupacabra. The beast lunged at where Goober ought to have been, and the claws only sliced through empty air. The beast snarled and struck again but to no avail. Then Goober seized the chupacabra’s right hand, began polishing and manicuring the long, needle-sharp claws, all the while continuing the snicker.

     Then, all at once, he became visible.

    “Goober, you’re visible!” Tina called in warning.

    Goober, still wearing a sheepish grin as he continued to manicure the creature’s claws, looked back at his friends in abrupt alarm, and then back up at the chupacabra, who was now starting to hiss in fury.

     Goober quickly kissed the beast on the two slits which served as nostrils in the noseless face, and dashed, just as the chupacabra lunged for him with an enraged hiss.

    “What does this guy need with a mani-cure anyway?” Goober said to an off-screen audience. What he needs is a nail file! And maybe some clippers even!”

    They all ran down the ancient tunnel, not even daring to glance behind them.

    Finally they reached a light at the end of the tunnel, and burst through into the humid desert air. Only now did they dare to look back into the tunnel to see if the chupacabra was still following. Apparently, it was not.

   “Wow!” said Tina, once she had caught her breath. “That was it! There really is a chupacabra! What a story this is gonna make!”

   “And I got some terrific shots of ‘im!” Gilly said. “Too bad Goober had to carry me again!”

   “This is redic-ulic-ulci –ulous!” Goober complained. “ I’m always so underappreciated”

   “Hold it everyone.” Said Ted. “There’s more to this chupacabra thing then meets the eye. How about the mural Tian and I found in that secret room. And that big hole in the wall with the empty tombs.”

   “If they were tombs.” Tina corrected.

   “Right. How does it all fit in? We don’t know yet, but I say we stick around here until we do.”

   “Hey,” said Gilly. “Take a look at where we are.

   For the first time since they were chased by the chupacabra, they had a look at their surrounding. They weren’t near the mansion of Jandro’s uncle at all. They had exited the tunnel out of a small, Mexican-style pyramid some where in the surrounding desert.

   “Gee,” said Laurie, “We must have gone for miles underground to get all the way out here. “

  They looked to west, having temporarily lost their sense of direction. But their it was, seemingly only a half mile distant, the estate of Jandro’s and Jaunita’s grampa. Funny how they hadn’t even noticed this pyramid when they first drove out here.

    “Well,”said Ted “Looks like we have a long way back to the mansion.”

     While they were walking, Ted said to Tina, “Know what, Tina?”

    “What?”

      “There’s something funny about this whole thing.”

    “Yeah. Lots of things.”

    “I mean that Aztec ghost. Back at the banquet hall. Remember how I said the specter detector wasn’t registering?”

   “Yeah. What about it?”

    “Well, get this. I had it switched on back when that chup-thing was after us.”

  “Or maybe it just wanted us away from its lair. Maybe it was just defending its territory, like a wolf or a mountain lion. It didn’t chase us once we got out of the pyramid.”

    “Yeah, maybe. Could be. The thing is, the chupacabra did measure on the spector detector!”

   “Holy mackerel!” cried Tina. “You mean that thing’s a ghost? It looked solid enough to me.”

    “I know.” Said Ted. “That’s just it. Something funny’s going on around here, and we’ve got some more snooping to do.”

 

     One of the servants let them in, and they were able to sleep off the rest of the night—only this time, they all slept in Tiny and Ted’s room. The next morning, they all had breakfast in the mansion’s café. This was a small yet spacious little room off the west wing from the main banquet hall and adjacent to the kitchen. It was dominated by a huge painting of one of the most dramatic scenes from Mexico’s history. It portrayed Cortez’s famous assault on Tenochtitlan’, the Aztec capital on the site of modern Mexico city. Spaniards bearing muskets in full armor, and sabers drawn charged into battle faced hordes of Moctezuma’s soldiers, Jaguar and Eagle knights dressed in warrior regalia, and bearing embellished war clubs studded with obsidian.

   They discussed what had occurred last night, and what their plans for today should be. Chris and Tracy were both thrilled by the news of their run-in with the chupacabra, and angry that they were left out of the action again. They were could they could go with them when they all decided to look for clues around the villa, but were disappointed they wouldn’t be investigating any more spooky old temples and the like—at least not before dark, and by then, they would likely be left behind again.

     They went to the village, intending to search for more clues, but after the events of the previous night, they ended up doing mostly more window shopping. They split up into groups, Tina and Ted, Gilly and Goober, Jandro and Juanita, and the four Partridge kids. The partridge kids in particular, lost their interest in searching for clues once they near the zocalo, or town center. They visited a Mexican gift store that specialized in local crafts, and and store that sold minerals and onyx carvings. Laurie bought a pair of sandals at a zapateria. Left to their own, however, the Partridges themselves decided to split up. Danny and Laurie got tried of their two younger siblings always tagging along, and Chris and Tracy kept wanting to do some exploring on their own. Finally, they obliged them. The two younger partridge kids were more than eager to go off on their own searching for clues, even when the older teens and their Mom had warned them not to.

   The problem was, there just wasn’t much to be found around the zocalo. “Let’s check around the edge of town, where the farms are.” Chris suggested. “We’re sure to find some clues there, if that nasty chupacabra thing’s been lurking about.”

    “Good idea, Chris.  But we’re supposed to meet Ted and the others back in the town square, next to the Café Mercado.”

   “Aw, don’t worry sis. We’ll be back in plenty of time. They won’t even know we’re gone.”

    So they walked through the twisting, cobbled streets until they came to an area of the local farmers. These were owned by the common folk, not the huge ranches that lay east of town. The pens and pastures were filled with bleating herds of goats and sheep. The farmers were still unafraid to allow their livestock to wander in the daylight hours, though they made certain all their animals were safely stabled away once darkness fell.

   Some of the farm hands give the two kids suspicious glances, doubtless wondering where their parents were, but other than that paid them no attention.

  Finally Chris said. “Phooey! I was sure we’d find us some clues around here.”

      “Guess we better star heading back.” Tracy said. “Ted and the others’ll start getting worried about us.”

   But just as they rounded the corner of one of the adobe dwellings, Tracy cried “Look!”

   Both of them looked. There, not more then a few feet form them, were a set of tracks that did not look like they had been made by either humans or animals-at least not by any animal they were familiar with. “Wow! Getta Loada those!”

     The two kids crept closer, and bent down to examine the tracks. They were each about a foot and half in total length, and were splayed not unlike those of some monstrous bird or dinosaur. Whatever had made the prints had three elongated toes, which sprouted long claw-like nails. It was evidently they were made by some sort of upright creature, but it also seemed like whatever it was had a gait more like a human than a bird.

     “Far out!” exclaimed Chris. “See, I toldja we’d find something cool around here! Let’s find out where they lead.”

   They followed the mysterious prints, and found out that they led away from one of the goat corrals-a goat corral that appeared to have broken into! And unlike the other corrals, this one did not have a goat in sight.

    “Whoa!” said Tracy. “This is outa sight! Let’s find the others!”

    “Right!”

    They dashed off for the Café Mercada, where they met up with other Partridge kids, and the Ghostchasers.

    When they blurted out the sort of the tracks, Danny became skeptical. “Sure it wasn’t just some overgrown chicken?”

   “You’re the one whose chicken!” said Chris. “My big brother’s scared of the chupacabra!”

     “Haha!”

    “Hold it, you guys!” cautioned Ted. “Chris Tracy, we believe you found something. Let’s have a look at it.”

    The two young partridges guided through the villa’s cobblestone streets until the reached the spot where prints had been.

      They were gone.

    “This is redic-ulic-ulic-ulous!” complained Goober.

      “they were right here, I swear it!” said Chris. “We both saw them!”

    “Yeah, right,” said Danny “and maybe the chupacabra’s tracks disappear, ‘cuz he’s really a ghost!”

   “I don’t know about that, Danny.” Said Tina. “Ted thinks maybe the chupacabra is a ghost!”

     “Huh?”

    “It’s because the specter detector starts to beep whenever that things around.” Ted explained. “And I just think Chris and Tracy may be right after all—the tracks may be gone, but take a look at that! The fence is broken, just like they said.”

    It was true. Whatever had broken the fence looked like it had smashed through the wood with what must have been near superhuman strength.

   Just then aman came toward them. His face was tanned brown by the intense sun, and he wore a wide-brimmed Mexican hat. “ Are you kids lost?” the man inquired.

    “No.” Ted explained. “We’re from Ghostchaser’s Magazine. We’re doing a story on the Chupacabra. The kids said they were around your farm toady and they found some weird tracks—“

    “Do not speak of the chupacabra! I will hear no more of it. The people are afraid to come out of their homes at night because of that thing on the prowl.”

    “But this town will be famous once we publish our next issue!” explained Tina. “Think of the tourist potential..”

   She regretted saying this, for the man said. “Look, senora, that thing made off with my prize goat last night, when I was to sell her at the festival two weeks ago. It came in the early evening, just before dusk. The tracks of the thing were right here, but I rubbed them out! I do not even wish to talk about it. I suggest you kids leave before the thing comes back.” The man turned around and walked back toward his house.

    When they drove back to the estate of Jandro’s abuelo, they were surprised to find Ebiro, the gardener, in front of the drive as though waiting to greet them. They got out, and man glared at them, seemingly more inhospitable than before. “Haven’t you kids decided to leave yet?” he asked.

   “As a matter of fact, we haven’t.” said Tina.

   Ebiro shrugged. “I gave you all fair warning about the chupacabra.”

   “Well, guess what?” said Danny. “We had a run-in with the ‘ol chupacabra himself last night!”

   Ebiro’s eyes went wide. “Y-you saw it? Actually saw it?”

   “Saw it!” said Laurie. “It chased us! We barely got away!”

    “The man’s gaze hardened. “So you see? You had best get away before its too late.”

    “Wait a minute.” Ted said. “I’ve a feeling, Mr. Ramirez you’re not leveling with us. What do you know about this chupa cabra business?’”

    “Only that it is no business of yours.”

     “Come on, Mr. Ramirez.” Said Tina. “Tell us what you know. Just what is that thing? Where did it come from?”

    “Okay.” Said Ebiro. “I don’t really know much, only rumors. What other folks tell. Some say the chupacabras are scaly. Others say they have wings and can fly. Others say that dogs are specially sensitive to the presence of  the chupacabra, and can sense when they’re about. Come to think on it, most of the village dogs began barking at night about the time that thing started showing up.”

    Goober frowned when he heard this. He wanted nothing to do with the chupacabra.

   “But most everyone agrees it showed up about a month ago, and came from the temple of Xaptelec IV out there.” He pointed toward the small pyramid, the one they had escaped from the following night.

   All of them were silent.

   “It served as the local temple of sacrifice,” Ebirao continued, “back in the days of Moctezuma’s empire. This was one of the smaller city-states, and Xaptelec became supreme ruler here, taking power from the king himself through court deceit. Rumor has it he had people that had fallen into his disfavor entombed alive in there. The chupacabra might have originally some monster of the elder world conjured by his court magicians.”

   “What makes you think that?” asked Tina.

   Because not long ago, some locals decided to break into that temple. I do not know what for. But soon after, that thing started showing up. “

     “But court magicians in ancient times…they were all fake…”

   “Not they way I’ve heard it.” Grinned Ebiro, toothily. “In fact, according to local legend, some of Xapeltec’s magi were real conjuror and had fantastic powers! And Xaptelec himself, once he had become corrupted by power, had bartered his soul to a monster of the underworld.”

   “but that’s all just a legend.” Said Laurie.

    “That’s so redic-alic-alic-alous!” agreed Goober.

   “You’d do well to pay more attention to legend,” Ebiro said. “I hope you finally take my advice and leave.”

 

 

     That evening, the Ghostchasers, Goober, Jandro, Jaunita, and the Partridge kids, all met in the lounge area of Jandro’s abuleo’s estate. They gathered around a table.

   “I think it’s time we wrapped up this creepy chupacabra mystery once and for all. We’ll wait until Luis-Fernendez, and the servants have all gone to bed, then we’ll drive out to the ranches, and see for sure what’s really been stealing livestock around here. I have a hunch we’re in for some surprises.”

   “Goober and I are ready to turn in, ourselves.” Said Gilly.

     Goober was in the chair next to him, already sawing logs.

    “We’ll take our sleeping bags, and camp out.” Ted explained. “but one of us’ll keep watch. Goober, you’ll be the first.

    Goober snapped at once out of his slumber.

   “That’s right.” Said Ted. “And the first time something weird happens, you sound the alarm. Got it?”

    “The only problem with turning yerself invisible, “ Goober complained to the audience. “is ya gotta learn to do it at the right time.”

     The camped out in the desert not far from the Luis-Fernandez ranch. They a TENT AND SLEEPING BAGS FOR EVERYONE. JANDRO AND Juanita had joined them, and they had brought their own sleeping bags. From where they were, they could hear the lowing of the cattle, and farther off, the bleating of the goats. Curiously enough, Luis-Fernandez had not bothered to lock his herds up for the night.

   Goober had first watch. He was nervous at first, but for a long time nothing happened.

     Then, sometime before midnight, he thought he saw a strange, misshapen form steal between two saguaro cactuses to his left. The shadow was fleeting, and for a moment the dog wondered if he had seen it at all. But then it appeared and vanished once more, this time stealing behind a boulder. As Goober continued to observe, the form then dashed across the barren stretch of dirt road—straight for the  front gate of the corral.

   Goober had seen enough.

    He dashed into the tent and roused Gilly, shaking him hard.

   “What is it, Goober?” Gilly asked. “You better really have seen something!’

    “Arf! Arf! Arf!” barked Goober. Then he holwed long and loud enough for for everyone to wake up.

   “What’s going on?” asked Laurie.

    “Goober says he saw something out there.” Gilly replied sleepily

    They all peered through the tent flpa Goober, still barking wildly, gestured toward the corral entrance.

   The shadowy figure was gone, but the goats and cattle were now in an uproar. Something was going on.

    “C’mon!” Ted ordered. The rushed across the sand toward the corral. But just before they reached the entrance, Goober’s mysterious intruder reappeared. They all screeched to a halt in the sand, as they saw the thing vault over the side of the corral and run off into the night—carrying a goat over its grotesquely hunched shoulders. The goat was still alive. They could hear it bleating.

    After him-it!” said Ted. They raced after the fleeing figure. “Frankly, I would just as soon be running the other di-rec-tion!” Goober commented.

    Gilly was racing ahead of the others, his camera out ready to snap some photos. Goober raced close behind him, yapping loudly. As usual Gilly was going to place himself in danger with his camera, and Goober was not going to let him do it.

    “Quiet down, Goober!” said Gilly. “I need to get a shot of that thing.” 

     All at once, they hit a bump and tumbled down a shallow incline into a deep depression. Goober landed on top of Gilly.

     “Thanks a lot, Goober! He probably got away!”

   But they both then saw that this was hardly the case.

  Not a few feet away from them, they saw the goat stealer. It was the chupacabra all right, complete with scaley skin, and goggle-eyes. It had placed the goat on the ground, and was now advancing steadily upon them, arms upraised. At first Gilly wonder why the goat was had not taken this opportunity to flee, but then eh saw that the chupacabra had tied the animals legs up with strong cords of rope. Somehow, this didn’t seem like the sort of thing a chupacabra should do.

     “That’s great!” aid Gilly. “Good job, Goober! Now I can finish getting some fantastic shots.” He began snapping photos of the chupacabra as it advanced toward them, hissing.

    Goober picked up Gilly and made a dash for the others. Gilly protested, still continued snapping shots.”

 But the chupacabra had picked up his goat was was running in the direction of a large gravel pit. “Hey, put me down, Goober!” Gilly cried.

    But suddenly Goober screeched to a halt.

     Directly in front of him was another chupacabra, identical to the first.

     “Two of the price of one? This is redic-ulic-ulic-ulous!” said Goober. He turned tail on a dime, just as the second monster made a lunge for them.

    “Another one?” asked Gilly. “Fantastic! Let me get some shots.”
      But Goober was already running in the other direction. The chupacabra dashed after them, and despite Gilly’s protests, Goober kept on running.

    Until he reached the edge of the gravel pit. The same gravel pit the first chupacabra had leapt into. As the second advanced on them, Goober made a swerve, and raced back where they’d come. Goober looked back over his shoulder. But the beast wasn’t following this time. It glared at them, and giving a wild and angry hiss, it leapt over the edge and into the gravel pit the same as the first one.

    When Goober and Gilly had reached the edge of the depression, the other had gathered there as well.

    “What did you guys find?” ted asked “Did you catch him?”

   “No—thanks to Goober.” Gilly replied. “But they disappeared into that gravel pit!”

    “Hold it—they?” Tina asked.

    “Yeah! There were two of them!”

     Goober nodded vigorously in agreement.

     They all went and peered over the edge into the gravel pit. “Whoa this place is big!” exclaimed Ted.

     The pit was indeed huge. There was a huge mechanical crane visible and some old mining equipment. There were several rail tracks leading into what must have been mine tunnels. And on these were several carts loaded up with the purloined goats and cattle, all lowing or bleating miserably. The cattle were invariably young ones. And near the lip of the precipice, close to where the teens and Goober lay crouched, were three men. Two of them looked like business executives of some kind. And the other one—“

    “Hey!” said Danny in a loud whisper. “That dude’s the ghost of lord Xaptelec! What’s he doing with those other guys?”

   It was indeed the ghost they had seen in the banquet hall, the same one who had later appeared in Gilly and Goober’s room. Though they doubted very much he was a real ghost, especially seeing him here, he was still dressed in the regalia of the kings of old, complete with robe and headdress. He was still in full makeup, too, all of him a powdery white, including his Aztec garb.

     “You men have done your part,” the ghost was saying. “I want you to take your share right now. By tomorrow, I want you to clear out.”

    “What about the cash on our last shipment?” one of the men said. “You promised it would be ours.”

    Xaptelec laughed, though it wasn’t his ghostly laugh this time. “Keep it. My word is good as far as this operation is concerned. I already have enough money for my …..experiments. You can have the rest. I only needed more missing livestock to distract the locals for one more night. After tomorrow, it shouldn’t matter, even if they figure out what’s going on. Wait—what’s that?”

     A multitude of flashlight beams pierced the darkness. “Hey, Xaptelec! We’re in on your phony goat-smuggling operation!” Ted’s voice called.

    “Yeah, and we’d like a few words with you—“ called Tina.

    “Run!” cried Xaptelec. He and the other two men strated to run toward the mine tunnels. But Goober dashed toward the fake ghost and seized hold of his tunic.

    “Let go of my robe, you mangy mutt!” Xaptelec cursed .”

    The others came running up as Goober restrained Xaptelec. But just then, the two chupacabras leapt out of the darkness at them, fangs barred, and hissing.

   “Whoa!” they all cried as they screeched to a halt. “It’s the chupacabras!” cried Danny.

    “Run!” Laurie cried.

   But just then, Goober let go of Xaptelec’s robe. The phony ghost went flying into the two chupacabras, and they all fell in pile, with Xaptelec on top.

    “Now it’s time to find out who this phony Aztec ghost really is!” Ted announced. He removed the headdress, and dusted the white powder from the man’s face.

   All of them stood back and stared. The man did not look like anyone they’d met since they arrived. Then Jandro said, “That’s my uncle Mendez!”

   They all turned in shock. “Your uncle!”

    “That’s him.” explained Jaunita. “He’s the uncle on our father’s side. That explains why he looks very much like lord Xaptelec himself. “

    “Yeah,” Ted said, realizing that the man did bear a family resemblance to his ancestor, remembering the old Spanish painting of the vanquished lord on display in Luis-Fernendez’s private historical museum.

     “But why did he try to scare us away?” asked Juanita.

    “I think we’ll have the answer to that once we take a look at these phony chupacabras” said Tina. She removed both their masks.

    Jandro and Juanita gasped. “Those….those are two of abuelo’s servants!” cried Jandro. “Alberto and Manuel Hermnandez!”

     “They must have been helping your uncle with his goat and cattle smuggling operation.”

     “But why…?” Jaunita asked.

    “Your uncle must have wanted money so he could purchase your grampa’s estate. And with the tourists scared away by the news of the chupacabras, it wouldhave been a cinch!”

     Mendez smiled, and given his situation, that didn’t make any of them comfortable.

    “Haha!” he laughed. “So you kids think you’ve figured it out, eh? You haven’t begun to guess the extent of my plans! Well, partly, you’re right. I wouldn’t mind getting a hold of your dear abeulo’s estate. But Luis Fernandez has made certain that his will passes to you two.” He indicated Jandro and Jaunita. “That leaves me in kind of a prediciment, don’t you think?”

    “Well yeah, “ said Tina “but how—“

    “Haha!” Mendez laughed. “Go on! Call the authorities. In a few minutes it won’t matter!”

    “I think he’s just bluffing!” said Danny.

    “I don’t know about that, Danny.” Said Ted. “This still doesn’t explain everything. What about my specter dectortor”

    “What about it?” Tina asked.

    “How come it worked on the chupacabras, if they were just men in rubber suits? It doesn’t make sense!”

    Then there was a shrill hiss from behind them. Mendez through back his head and laughed, sounding almost as sinister as the ghost he’d pretended to be. All of them gasped.

    There was the chupacabra—no, two chupacabras!—advancing steadily upon them.

   They stole a nervous glance toward the two unmasked felons, just to make certain. No, the men were still lying where they fell. But upon seeing the two chupacabras, they got up and ran away screaming. Mendez only gave another triumphant laugh.

    They all stood petrified. Gilly was even too shocked by this strange turn of events to snap any more pictures, even though these would have made terrific shots.

    The chupacabras—both emitting that weird, greenish glow—stopped a few feet ahead of the massed teenagers.

     And then another amazing thing happened.

    The chupacabras sprouted wings. Dark, leather-ribbed pinions that did not seem to have been present before thrust out of their deformed shoulders, spread wide and flapped tremendously.

    Uttering wild screeches the lunged into the air and sailed for the mass of kids, and they all broke screaming.

   But the monsters did not target their victims randomly. One of the monsters seized Jandro and Juanita. The other seized hold of Mendez. Then with heavy flaps of their gigantic wings they rose into the night sky in the direction of the pyramid of Lord Xaptelec.

     For several minutes, all of them stood staring into the sky wordlessly, as the flying forms faded from view in the night sky.

    Finally Ted said,”Make for that pyramid.”

   They all climbed out of the gravel pit and headed in the direction of the ancient temple of sacrifice. Once they got there, they searched around for an entrance. They found there were several.

   “I can’t remember which door we came out of last time.” Said Tina.

    “Niether can I.” Said Ted. “but I’ve a hunch goober does.”

   “Huh?!” Goober gulped.

   “That’s right, Goober. The Mr. Ramirez said that dogs are more sensitive to the presence of chupacabras. Mybe you can find out where those things took Juanita and Jandro.”

   Goober wondered if he could. He began sniffing around, but he couldn’t catch any strange scents. But then he felt something. He wasn’t sure quite what. Some faint sort of tingling in his canine brain. Goober shut his eyes and concentrated harder on whatever it was. It seemed to be some sort vibration coming from the pyramid. He had been aware of it before, he realized suddenly. This had been what had caused him to sense the presence of the chupacabra when it had snuck up on them in the tunnel. And it seemed to be strongest…

     Goober pointed, then headed around the corner of the pyramid, allowing the pulsing vibration to lead him on. The others followed. At last they came to an entrance.

    “I think Goober’s found it.” Ted announced. “And from the look of things this is the tunnel we came out of last time. I can see the mansion from the same angle as before.”

   “Then that means this one leads to that creepy sacrificial chamber we found.” Said Laurie.

   “That’s right.” Answered Ted. “And I think that means there’s no time to lose.  C’mon !”

     They went through the dark tunnel until at last the found the secret place of human sacrifice-if indeed, that was what it was for. And gasped in horror upon the sight that greeted them.

   Jandro and Juanita were both manacled to the twin alters. A few feet away from them was Mendez, their uncle, only he was not dressed as Lord Xaptelec now. Instead, he was garbed in what looked more like the habits of one of the priests or court magicians—they couldn’t tell which. He had a new headdress on, one made of quetzal feathers, and a long-sashed robe of imperial purple, indicating a favored rank. His face and torso were covered with symbols in bright blue and red paint, from dyes made for some local plant. He was standing over a boiling cauldron made of burnished gold, and inlaid with rare gemstones. In the cauldron a strange brew whirled as if imbued with a life of itself. Weird greenish vapors rose into the air around him. These vapors cast a weird greenish luminescence that was not unlike the glow cast by the chupacabras themselves. He was not stirring the concoction, but had his arms raised in some kind of ceremonial gesture. He was chanting in some ancient forgotten tongue—undoubtedly in the original, uncorrupted Aztec language. The green glow made him an eerie and resplendent figure.

     “Whoa!” whispered Danny Partridge. “Jandro and Juanita’s uncle’s flipped out!”

     “Looks that way.” Ted agreed.

     “He must think he’s one of those Aztec dudes reincarnated or something.”

    “Well, we’ve got to try to get Jandro and Juanita out of there before its’ too late.”

   The came forward into the chamber, but almost at once, the two chupacabras, who must have been somehow clinging to the ceiling above the tunnel entrance (did their fingers have adhesive pads?) dropped onto the floor right in front of them.

    Mendez truned and addressed them. “Do not worry, my foolish intruders! They will not harm you, only keep you from interfering with my plans.”

   “And just what are those!” Laurie demanded.

    “You will see. But first, allow me to brief you. You had part of my scheme figured correctly. I did want to take over Luis-Fernendez’s estate. It was wrongfully taken from my own ancestor, Lord Xaptelec himself centuries ago. But first I had to get his two young heirs out of the way. And I wanted to do it in a way that nobody what ever guess the truth. So I rigged up that goat smuggling idea, and blamed it on the chupacbra.”

    “But why, if you knew the chupacabra were real?”

   “Most of the illegal money went funded the excavation team I hired. And I used the chupacabra, scare to fool everyone so they wouldn’t know what I was really up to.”

   “Excavation?” Danny asked. “What’s he talking about?”

     “Come now. You meddling kids found the secret tunnel leading from the mansion to this pyramid, and I know you stumbled upon this chamber, which I recently had renovated for my purposes. But also, my men excavated the tomb where the original chupacabras were mummified, and exhumed their remains. Of course, they weren’t really dead—only in suspended animation, after Xaptelec’s pet wizard had a spell placed upon them. It only took a few words of power from the dark arts to bring them back and to bind them to my will. I am a learned scholar, and well versed in the ancient tongue. Ah, but I see you still don’t

understand. You don’t yet understand what the chupacabra really are do you. That term was coined soon after I began this business, because of their bloodsucking nature, and because they preyed mainly on goats. What they really are is an ancient form of Mexican vampire known as Xiptlii. Most people are not aware that they ever existed. Even in Xaptelec’s time, only a select circle of priests, magicians and scholars were aware them. And the magicians and sorcerers knew the secret of how to create Xiptlii.

     “What do you mean?” asked Gilly.

     “I mean that the Xiplii were not natural. They were made using arcane rites. First, a special concoction was made. The ingredients consisted of  the blood of vampire bats, the skins of desert lizards, ichor of several kinds of spiders, and livers of goats.” He gestured toward the wall at the mural depicting the creation of chupacabras. “Of course, the goat as actually a new addition of my own, in order to keep the beasts for actually harming hums and setting off a panic. The original Xiptlii would have targeted anything as a potential meal. One only has to add an extra ingredient from whatever animal one wants the vampire to target. And that’s what is in this cauldron—the brew for the creation of Xitlii.”

     “But how--?”

    “How? The victim-or victims, in this case—are forced to drink the brew. It will my neice and nephew into chupacabras. When that happens, the other two Xitlii will die. And then I will recite the word to place both the freshly created ones under a spell for suspended animation. I shall be rid of them forever.”

    “You’re crazy!” yelled Laurie “Wait till the authorities—“

    “It doesn’t matter!” Mendez snapped. “No one will ever believe you! That estate belongs to me just as my ancestors lands and place were taken from him all those years ago.”

   “You mean—when the Spanish conquered Mexico?” Ted asked.

   “No!” Jaunita cried from where she was strapped down. “Jandro and I knew all about it—we just didn’t want to mention it before! Xaptelec was of the Hauptan dynasty. His family had controlled this land for many generations. His family had a good reputation, but—“

    “Xaptelec was corrupt!” Jandro finished. “He overtaxed the peasants who worked for him. But it went further than that. He wanted more land and more wealth, so he framed some of the other nobles. Mostly it worked. The king had the nobles executed and gave Xaptelec property rights, and it wasn’t long before he had virtually taken over the city-state. But there were two kids—kids like us—who exposed him.”

   “That’s right.” Answered Jaunita, in a tired voice. “They were a brother and sister of the Xocoatl family. Their dynatsy had been loyal to the Huaptans, until Xaptelec came along. The two overheard Xaptelec’s plans during a royal banquet when families form the two houses were celebrating. To make sure they wouldn’t talk, Xaptelec had his men secretly capture them—and then he had his court magician turn them into Xitlii, so no one would know what happened—just as he’s doing to us!”

    “You kids certainly know your history,” chortled their uncle. “I must say I am impressed.”

    “And we haven’t forgotten that Xaptelec was found out!” Jandro shouted. “Remember that!”

    “I have  remembered it,” said Mendez. “And I will not make the same mistake!”

    He scooped out a portion of the weird liquid in a shallow gold bowl, and walked toward the two captured teen, obviously intending to force it down their throats. What he didn’t notice was that Goober had turned invisible, and slipped under the chupcabras into the ceremonial chamber. As Mendez, still in Aztec garb raised the bowl to Juanita’s lips suddenly the afgan’s orange stocking cap was there, flying through the air while Goober snickered.

   “What?!” shouted Mendez. “Oh—that pesky invisible mutt again! Away from me you foolish dog!”

     Suddenly, Goober grabbed the bowl away from him.

    “Give that back!” Mendez shouted, enraged.

    Goober flung the contents of bowl full into Mendez’s face. Mendez holed in rage and began grabbing madly for dog, whose cap dance out of the way with each lunge.

     While this was going on, Chris and Tracy crawled on all fours beneath the chupacabras and toward the alter where Jandro and Juanita lay bound. Tracy tried to free Juanita, but found that the ropes were too tight. Chris crawled toward the north wall to where the ceremonial knives were displayed. He quickly removed a ceremonial dagger-the kind used for sacrifice and scurried back. They cut both Junaita and Jandro loose with the knife.

   They scrambled up off the alter. “that was some fast thinking kids.” Jandro said.

  “Thanks,” said Chris “But no thanks. It was a snap!”

    “Now let’s get outa here!”

    Just then the chupacabras, who had realized what was happening jumped in front of them.

   “Ulp!” gulped Jandro. “I guess we can’t  get out this way.”

    “Hold it!” cried Juanita. “I know what to do!”

     “What—“

    “Just make sure the kids are safe, and Goober keeps Mendez occupied!”

    She raced over to the ceremonial table to where Mendez had the ancient parchment. She picked it up, and leafed through the book. Finally she found what she was looking for. And she could read enough of the archaic pictogram writing to rectie the spell she needed.

    She began chanting in the poetic language of the ancient Aztecs.

   And that’s when it happened.

   The two chupcabras began glowing, not with the greenish glow, but with a blue luminence that was somehow purifying. They began hissing, and their hissing rose to screaming, as though in dire pain. The glow that enveloped them grew brighter and brighter. Ted and other kids had to shield their eyes against its brilliace, as with a final burst the chupacabras became mere husks of dry lizardfish skin, and skulls, which tumbled to the floor like husks of sun-dried  maize.

   Everyone looked on in astonishment as the glow faded, and two shimmering white human figures floated in the air where the two Xiptlii had been.

     They were two teenaged youths, a boy and girl, not unlike Jandro and Juanita, dressed in the noble finery of the feudal Aztec period. “Thank you whoever it was who set us free.” The girl said in her native tongue.

     Only Jandro, Juanita, and Mendez understood her. Then the two young people, the ghosts of Jandro and Juanita’s ancestral siblings, vanished.

 

     To wrap the story up, Mendez was arrested for his goat smuggling scam. And since no trace was found of the supposed chupacabras, it was officially on record that it was only the cover for a smuggling operation, and that was that. Tourists returned and business boomed. Goober and the two younger partridge kids were made the heroes of the day.

        They returned to Vercruz, and rest of their vacation went uneventfully. Except of, course, for the Partridge’s concert. All of them were gathered in the hotel auditorium, listening to the beat of “I Really Want To Know You”, as Danny Partridge sang.

    “Ya know, Goober,” Gilly was saying. “If it wasn’t for us, that whole chupacabra thing would never had anyone around to solve it.”

     “No one to solve it?” said Goober. “I wouldn’t say that!” He pointed.

    Gilly looked around. And out among the crowd he could see other mystery solving gangs, all here in Veracruz, the same weekend, all here to hear the Partridges. There was the Funky Phantom gang, including Elmo the dog and Boo the ghost cat. And the Teen Angels with their furry mascot Captain Caveman. And  the New Schoo with his mystery-writing teenage pals.

    “So many celebrities at one measly concert!” Goober snickered. “This getting redic-ulic-ulic-ulous!”

 

                                                                             FIN