The Mexican Devil of Jalisco has been dead for over 2000 years,
but his soul never rests. His spirit wanders the wastelands and mountains and
at times indigenous people who live on the land can hear his wild laugh as he
rides his horse through the darkness of the woods. His skeleton face with
hollow sockets where eyes should be are of blackness with a small shimmer of light,
deep within the holes. All of his teeth are in place but when he laughs, it's
rough and monstrous as if this Mexican Devil has another soul to revenge and
torture. Let me indulge you, me’ amigo, Alejandro Cruz was once a man, a simple
man living on the prairie with his family, his lovely wife, and two children
Alex who was only seven years old, and his twin sister Mary.
Alejandro Cruz, came from a small town Tapalpa. He attended a school
on the prairie as the only child of Hector and Elvira Cruz having no
siblings his only brother died of tuberculosis as an infant. Hector and Elvira
wanted the best for their son to leave this town and become a man of money
and power, but after the revolution, of 1910-1920 everything changed. Families were
broken, kept in poverty struggling to have anything they worked for taken away, and men were killed, and their wives were kidnapped.
Many people quickly moved far away to never be heard from for those who could escape. During the war people's lives were murdered in
cold blood the same as Alejandro's parents were killed by soldiers trying to colonize
the last of the Mexican people. This time in his life was tragic being a
young boy with no relatives he could depend on to be sent to a group home, but
when he turned 18, he walked out the front door refusing to be subjected to the abuse of Father Topaz. The priest wore a long black cloak with a coldness
in his eyes, and short dark hair, and his lips were red and chapped. Alejandro knew he had
to run as far away as possible to escape this priest's harsh hand and his essence of
death. He always viewed Father Topaz's heart as black as a stone and hard to break. The sun was rising as he came upon a river bank, he stopped to rest and drink the water that flowed downstream, he knew a town had to be close by, so he quickly drank water and began again
After walking miles in the heat, the school and Father Topaz seemed years away, he was exhausted with no food and water he soon came upon a town just like he knew there would be. A store, just as he thought and began to run all the way, he soon came upon an old man sitting outside. Help me, please, Alejandro collapsed.
The old man picked Alejandro up, he could feel his bones, oh lord please don't let this boy die on me, the old said. He laid him on the cot inside in the store and placed a cool towel on his head, a few hours later Alejandro awoke to the old man staring at him. Are you okay mijo, the old man asked? Yes I think so, replied Alejandro where am I? You are on the outskirts of Jalisco Mexico, this place was caught between the cities, so it doesn't have a name, the people just say it's on the outskirts as a collective we claimed this land to live on and stay close as a community, were farmers and share everything. I am Manuel, welcome, what is your name the old man asked? Alejandro Cruz. My god you have walked a long way, the old man said, se' responded Alejandro. I need water please and I need food, my stomach. Yes, of course, said the old man as he rushed over to the stove and poured a bowl of chicken soup and cornbread. Alejandro thanked the man for being so kind, and the old man responded, you may sleep here tonight. You may stay as long as you wish. I live alone and have a warm fire and plenty of food. I enjoy company, as it's just my old dog and myself. You are welcome to guest in my home if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask.
I am very tired and have a long way to go tomorrow. Well, then eat up and get all the rest you need, I will fix my favorite breakfast, "eggs benedict" before you go. See you in the morning the old man replied. As Alejandro gulped his food from hunger, he quickly slept so deeply and his dreams began to haunt him in the night, only to awake screaming Elena's name. For a moment he forgot where he was feeling the sweat dripping off his forehead as he tried to catch his breath, his emotions reflected beautiful Elena and he quickly became enraged with anger remembering the murder of his wife and children. Those bloody Spaniards are going to pay for killings, especially Rivera he thought. I'm going to fucken kill that piece of shit if it's the last thing I do before my death.
Sgt. Renato Rivera, Alejandro is a tall man who appears as "white trash" and not Latino of Spanish descent, with dirty blonde hair and piercing green eyes. The memories, Alejandro couldn't escape the memories of his wife in the hands of this murderer remembering her screaming for help as Rivera snapped her neck without a second thought. Elena refused the advances of Rivera and his propositions. He tried to have his way with her and during their fight, she scratched him so deep with her nails that he now has a scar under his right eye, 2 inches deep. The old man walked in, mijo are you okay? I heard yelling. Yes, responded Alejandro it was a bad dream. I see well I have a cure for that, whiskey is the best in town, come have a drink with me, and then I make us some breakfast, can travel on an empty stomach. Thank you seniro, but I should go.
Nonsense come on I am not a busy man and have many friends, okay thank let me wash up, senior' what is your name? Pedro Padilla nice to meet you.
Alejandro's blood boiled to the "point of no return", trying to shake those bad memories, but knowing he can't as his anger is ammunition he needs to kill that mother fucker. The Spaniards intentions, WERE TO kill the people and take over the town during the colonization and it was a success. White-skinned Spaniards are Latinos who see themselves as white (not men of color, which they are) as white men with racist thinking and believing themselves to be better than people with darker skin color. Since many Spaniards have blonde hair and blue eyes, they don't see themselves as people of color. One of their reasons for attacking this small town that sits on the edge of Tapala which was once a peaceful place has now been terrorized with hate and violence against the Mexican people. One of the deadly sins is now "revenge"
The Spaniards rode their horses into town one cold night burning down homes and terrorizing the people, raping and killing, a town Alejandro once lived in. These men wanted the land and their mission was to rape women and take them hostage, but Alejandro's wife was a fighter, Rivera saw Elena as the most beautiful woman he laid his eyes on and wanted Elena for himself, but she rejected his advances and spit in his face with disgust, leaving him with a scar across his face. The soldiers who invaded Ajejandro's home were going to beat the children and just as River walked into the house he stopped the soldiers in their tracks and approached Elena when he saw her Rivera said, "Nothing will happen to you or the children as long as you leave with me, be my wife and you will live well, like a Queen. No, responded Elena, my husband, I love him I will never leave my husband, he is the father of my children we are a family. Rivera replied, why would a beautiful woman be with a man who can't provide a homemade for Queen? Elena yelled NO I will not leave Alejandro, he is the love of my life.
Have it your way, Rivera replied, turning to his soldiers with a fierce look, as they grabbed Elena by her arms and pushed her out of the room, she was taken away. The children were screaming with fear and were sent to another area away from their mother. As the children's screams got louder, Elena cried out for them, now she heard nothing, it was silent and Elena fell to the ground with pain in her heart she never felt before, the soldier took her and snapped her neck just as Alejandro ran through the door yelling her name.