The Revenge of the Cow: A Chilling Tale of Transformation and Terror
The Revenge of the Cow
Sergio Aguirre
Introduction
The story begins with a newspaper clipping from “The Times” on October 9, 1994, reporting a tragic incident at Sothersby Farm where a cow attacked and killed a child. The animal was subsequently sacrificed. We are then introduced to a woman who wakes up in the middle of the night to a loud noise and a power outage. She smells a strong odor of animal droppings and, while stumbling through the dark house, steps on something wet and pasty. She screams and then hits something before the lights come back on, revealing that she has fallen down the stairs.
Chapter I
We are introduced to six high school friends: Marcela, Rafael, Leticia, Carlos, Manuel, and Cristina. Rafael and Cristina are engaged. Rafael’s mother has recently passed away, and Marcela and Leticia inform him of the news. The group reminisces about the death of another person a year prior that deeply affected them.
Chapter II
The friends agree to meet at Cristina’s grandfather’s old villa in the countryside. They had spent a few carefree days there two years ago, but this time the atmosphere is different. They embark on a long journey to reach the villa, with Rafael feeling particularly nervous.
Chapter III
Rafael and Cristina wait for the rest of the group to arrive at the villa. They prepare mate and take a walk around the large property, which has a nearby stream. Cristina mentions that cows sometimes come near the house. It’s revealed that Cristina and Rafael are vegetarians. The conversation turns to strange experiences related to cows.
Chapter IV
Carlos shares a story about meeting a peculiar girl named Clara at a bar in Los Molles. Clara is quiet and subdued, but Carlos becomes infatuated with her. He eventually manages to kiss her, but the experience is unsettling and leaves him feeling disturbed. He avoids the bar for a few days but later encounters Clara again and is invited to her birthday dinner. At her house, he meets her strange family and feels increasingly uncomfortable. During a walk to the barn, Clara kisses him forcefully, reminding him of her mother’s unsettling eating habits. He flees, feeling as though he was kissed by a giant cow’s mouth.
The narrative shifts to the friends’ English teacher, Susan, a kind and caring woman with a son named Nicholas. The boys, except for Marcela, are close to Susan and often visit her. Rafael spent a year in England and stayed with Susan’s family. One day, while grading papers, Susan discovers a note that says “SOS UNA VACA” (You are a cow). She is deeply hurt and tries to understand why someone would write such a cruel message. She walks aimlessly, wondering if it’s because of her weight. She sees an advertisement for a weight loss clinic and considers going in but ultimately decides against it. A storm breaks out, and she can’t find a taxi. When Nicholas arrives home, he finds the house empty and lets himself in. While looking for candy in the kitchen, he falls from a chair and breaks his neck.
Chapter V
Carlos finishes his story about Clara. Unsure if his experience was real or imagined, he seeks advice from a healer who directs him to the son of a doctor in Villa Fontana who has had similar experiences. The doctor’s son tells Carlos about the Juarez family, a reclusive group with strange habits. Their skin is unusually white and thin, and they rarely interact with others. The doctor’s son recounts a disturbing encounter with the Juarez family during a medical visit, noting their peculiar behavior and the appearance of black spots with hairs on their skin. He later learns that the sick woman he saw has died and that the house smelled strongly of cow dung.
The friends, including Rafael who has returned from England, try to determine who wrote the note to Susan. They investigate several students who failed the English exam but find no conclusive evidence. Leticia accidentally discovers that Marcela doesn’t know English, despite claiming otherwise. She realizes that Marcela must have written the note to avoid failing the exam and jeopardizing a promised trip.
Chapter VI
Carlos finishes the doctor’s son’s story. The friends discuss the similarities between the strange families they’ve encountered: their rural lifestyle, the presence of brothers and an older daughter, and their unsettling behavior. Rafael recalls a story about a boy who died after being hit by a cow. The group decides to take revenge on Marcela for writing the note to Susan. They plan to scare her by creating a terrifying experience at Cristina’s grandfather’s villa.
Chapter VII
The friends gather at the villa and begin to implement their plan. They share scary stories about cows and create a tense atmosphere. While Marcela is asleep, they cover the upstairs floor with cow dung and place a severed cow’s head in the hallway. They cut the power and make a loud noise to wake her up. Marcela’s screams indicate that she has encountered the head. They turn the lights back on, intending for her to experience terror and guilt for her actions. Suddenly, they hear the sound of Marcela falling down the stairs.
Chapter VIII
The friends are horrified by what has happened. They fear that they have gone too far. The story ends with a sense of dread and uncertainty about the consequences of their revenge.