He rolled over and felt his stomach lurch. Trying to keep from throwing up, he swayed and clutched his head and then fumbled in his coat pocket to retrieve his last bottle of Everclear, a vile-tasting clear alcohol. Strong stuff, but he needed it. Anyone with a life as screwed up as his had to stay drunk. It was a rule.
He got up and moved along the railroad track. How did he get here? Oh yeah, the freight train. He remembered hopping on the moving cars back in Albuquerque. Now he was stuck here in Tucson. Well, this certainly is some vacation spot, he thought. It must be 115 degrees in the shade, if you could find any shade. The heat made him feel sicker than ever. Or maybe it was the Everclear.
What was he doing wearing a coat in this heat? He tugged and clutched at his sleeves until he was free of his red blazer, then wadded it into a ball to use as a pillow. Exhausted, he lay down on the track and peered up at the mountain to the west. It had a huge white “A” on the side. How quaint, he thought. That must be “A” Mountain. Just one more thrill in this godforsaken place.
The bottle of Everclear knocked his tooth as he raised it to his lips. Just let me forget this place, he thought. Let me forget my life. Let me forget everything. Within minutes he had passed out, drunk and unconscious. Night came quickly.
He never heard the train. The conductor saw him at the last minute and blew his whistle like a scream in the night, but it didn’t matter. It was too late.
Of course, he woke at the last split second. He didn’t even have time to form a thought. The train was just there, and then his legs were not. They were cut off just below the hips. Funny thing was, there wasn’t much blood. It was like they were seared off. Not much pain, either. Weird.
Then he started to think. Ten seconds ago, he was a man. Now, he was a…what? He finally was able to throw up the liquor and bile of his three-day binge.
Scanning the area around the train yard, he wiped vomit from his chin. His eyes caught the gleam of the “A” on the mountain. For some reason, he felt drawn to that “A” and made up his mind right there and then. If I’m going to die, he thought, I want to die up there.
He paused only long enough to struggle into his coat. Though it took all of his strength, he began to pull himself off the tracks and toward the mountain. Once his hands became raw from the gravel, he used his elbows. That helped some, because they were protected by the sleeves of his blazer. Good old coat, he thought. Those other hoboes made fun of it because it was such a bright red. He didn’t mind. In fact, he was glad he was going to die in that coat. It made him look special.
The torturous quest took hours. He had to stop often to quell the queasiness in his gut. Eventually, he reached the east bank of the Santa Cruz River (actually, a huge wash) and found himself rolling down its steep edge. Surprisingly, that helped, because when he got to the bottom, he found it easier to just keep rolling across the sandy floor. When he finally crossed the wash, it nearly killed him to climb the other bank. Still, he never gave up. He was headed to the “A” and was determined to make it before he died.
Once he climbed the bank, he looked up and found himself at the foot of the mountain. Keeping his eyes focused on his goal, he clawed and crawled up the side of the hill. It was well after midnight when he finally reached his destination. Tears of joy mixed with his sorrow as he laid his head upon the white stones. He was ready to die.
But wait. What was that? There was a glow from the ground below him. He was mesmerized as he watched a shadowy figure appear.
“I have brought you a gift, my son,” said the apparition. “It is a goat.”
“What? You brought me a goat? I don’t understand.” “I will make you immortal. I will make you my son.” “Please, leave me alone. I don’t want your pity.”
“I do not pity you. I admire you. I will make you mine.” The figure then produced a huge blade and slaughtered the goat without another word. The man sat, horrified, as goat blood splattered and ran down his body. Then the figure took the back legs of the goat and severed them from the mutilated corpse. “These are for you.” The man screamed but could not move away. The figure crouched above him and began to sew the goat legs onto the stumps left by the train.
“Do not struggle!” commanded the figure.
The man covered his face and wept. When the transformation was complete, he looked up. “What have you done to me?”
“Oh, do not thank me. Your happiness is thanks enough.”
The man glared at the strange figure and then he started to laugh. It was a howling laugh that pierced the night like thunder, and his eyes flashed like lightning. Was it gratitude reflected there? Hatred? Sorrow? Worship? No, it was simply insanity. The goat man was now completely and utterly insane.
“Come on, Maria,” pleaded Hector. “We’ve been dating for over three weeks. It’s time for a little fun.”
“Hector, you know I like you. I just don’t feel comfortable with too much necking and kissing.”
“How do you know? You haven’t even let me try! Come on, Maria, it’s time for something more. You can’t expect me to wait forever. I would hate to have to break up just because you were too immature to get closer.”
“I’m not immature!”
“Well, do you think all of the other girls just sit and hold hands with their boyfriends? No, they don’t, because they are becoming women. How about you, Maria? Are you ready to grow up a little?”
“I’m frightened, Hector.”
Hector sighed, and moved his arm behind the car seat and over Maria’s shoulder. “I understand, my sweet. I have an idea. Let’s just drive up to “A” Mountain and park. We can look at the city lights and just take things easy. What do you think?”
“Okay. I would like that.” “We’ll be there in no time.”
Hector eased his Corvair around the winding road that led to the lookout at “A” Mountain. He could hardly contain his excitement, and he had to keep reminding himself to take the turns with caution. Yes, he was in a hurry to get parked and see where this night would lead, but there was no use in being careless. He’d waited three weeks. He could wait another five minutes.
When at last they had reached the base of the white stone “A,” Hector slid the car into an open space behind a dark green Ford pick-up. A baby blue Volkswagen Beetle was parked farther up the road. He turned to face Maria. “See? This isn’t so bad, is it?”
“Actually, I have to admit that it really is quite breathtaking. Thanks for bringing me here, Hector.”
Hector didn’t answer. Instead he took her face in his hands and leaned forward to kiss her. At first, she stayed quite stiff, but with a little persistence, Hector persuaded her to relax in his embrace. All right, he thought. Now it’s time to make my move.
He slid his hand down Maria’s back. He left it there for a second and then started to move it to the front. Almost there, he thought.
“Hector! What’s that?” Maria screamed.
“What? Good grief, Maria. What did you scream for? I was just beginning to feel close to you.”
“I’m sorry. I thought I saw something outside your window. It scared me.”
“What was it?”
“I thought I saw a man in a red coat. He was looking at us.”
“Come on, Maria. This is Arizona, what would anybody be doing out here in a coat?”
“I guess it just worries me to be up here.”
“Well, come here and let me put your worries to rest.” Hector reached for her neck and started to nibble at her earlobe. Slowly, but surely, he felt her relax.
“You are so beautiful, Maria. I love your hair.” He kissed her cheek. “And your eyes.” He kissed her other cheek. “And your full, sweet lips.” He brushed her lips with his own and then lingered for a longer kiss.
“Hector! There he is again! He’s watching us!” This time Maria pushed him away and tried to force him to look out of his driver’s side window.
“Stop it, Maria! There is nothing there. If you don’t want me to kiss you, just say so. You don’t have to play these stupid games!”
“Hector, I am not playing!” Maria shouted. “Just look!
Look out your window!” She was nearly hysterical.
“Fine, I’ll look, and then I’m taking you ho…” Hector turned his face towards the window. What he saw made him jump. He was looking into the eyes of a crazy man in a red coat.
“What do you want?” Hector shouted through the closed window. “Get away from here! Leave us alone!”
The face grinned at Hector, and then started tap, tap, tapping on the window pane.
“What do you want?” Hector shouted again.
The man raised his arm and pointed at Maria. Then he jumped on top of the hood of the car.
That’s when they saw he had goat legs. Maria screamed, and Hector started searching for his keys. The Goat Man had a hideous grin, and blood from some sort of feast drooled down his chin. Before Hector knew what was happening, the Goat Man turned around. He then raised his legs and bucked like a goat. The impact nearly shattered the front window.
“Get us out of here!” cried Maria. Hector fumbled with the keys.
“God, he’s going to kick again!” Maria’s eyes looked like they were going to bulge out of her head. “Watch out.” She covered her face with her arms.
The Goat Man kicked, and the window imploded all over Hector and Maria. Hector’s face was covered with tiny cuts from the glass. Still, he continued to wrestle with the keys in the ignition. Thankfully, they finally fit and the engine turned over. Hector threw the car into gear and revved the engine. Just as the tires quit spinning and began to make traction, Hector felt the hand of the Goat Man on his shoulder as it reached past him and grabbed Maria.
“Hey, what’s going on back there?” Someone from the Ford pickup shouted.
The Goat Man looked up. It was all the distraction Hector needed. He hit the gas, released the clutch, and turned the wheel. The motion tumbled the Goat Man from the hood and onto the ground. They sped away.
The headlines in the paper the next day told a gruesome story. A young girl had gone to “A” Mountain with her boyfriend. Sometime in the evening she vanished from his Volkswagen Beetle. The boy was found beside the road, completely incoherent. He kept mumbling something about a half-man, half-goat and a red coat. The police sent him to a sanitarium. They never found the girl.
Do you understand now why I say never go to the “A” Mountain after dark, Mijita? Do you see what could happen? Mi hermana, my sister Maria, she learned her lesson. Sí. She never went back and I never went either. No! You must remember this. I do not want to wake up one day and read about you in the periódico. You must stay away from places like “A” Mountain, Mija. Mantente alejado del hombre cabra. Stay away from the Goat Man.