Page 16 of Beauty and the Grendel

The doctor raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Then who was it?”

I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze steadily. “A Camazotz. A creature from ancient times, one that could have been here on Earth, or it could have come in with the aliens. It’s the one that attacked me, left these slices on my arm.”

Harlow gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Dr. Elms’ eyes widened in shock.

“A Camazotz? Here?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

I nodded grimly.

The doctor finished stitching my wounds in silence, his brow furrowed in thought. As he wrapped a bandage around my arm, he finally spoke.

“If what you say is true, then we’re all in danger. The community, they won’t understand. They’ll blame you for this.”

I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar anger and frustration rising within me. “I know. But I won’t let them suffer for my mistakes. I’ll find the Camazotz and stop it, whatever it takes.”

Harlow placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, her eyes filled with determination. “And I’ll be right there with you. We’re in this together, Griiq.”

I looked at her, feeling a surge of gratitude and affection. In that moment, I knew that with Harlow by my side, I could face anything - even the darkest of monsters.

As we left the clinic, I could sense Harlow’s worry radiating off her in waves. She glanced up at me, her brow furrowed.

“We need to tell the authorities, Griiq. They have to know what they’re dealing with.”

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right. Let’s go to the police station.”

The walk was short, but each step sent a jolt of pain through my injured arm. I gritted my teeth, pushing through the discomfort. When we arrived, the officer at the front desk eyed me warily.

“Can I help you?” he asked, his hand resting on his holster.

Harlow stepped forward, her voice steady. “We need to speak with the chief. It’s about the attacks on the farm.”

The officer narrowed his eyes, but after a long moment, he nodded and led us to the chief’s office. Chief Wilkins looked up from his paperwork, his expression guarded.

“What’s this about?” he asked gruffly.

I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze. “The creature responsible for the attacks - it’s not from this world. It’s called a Camazotz, and it’s incredibly dangerous.”

The chief leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “And how do you know this?”

“It’s in my books. In my world, Cainedor, the Camazotz were in legends as mythological creatures. It’s also in legends here on Earth too. I’m not sure if it followed me or if it were already here and awakened when I moved in,” I said, my voice steady despite the tension in the room.

Chief Wilkins’s eyes widened, but he quickly schooled his features. “And what exactly is a Camazotz?”

“It’s a creature of pure evil,” I explained, the memories of my past encounters with them sending a shiver down my spine. “They feed on fear and destruction, and they’re nearly impossible to kill. They have immortal blood.”

The chief’s brow furrowed. “Immortal blood? What does that mean?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “It means that even if you shoot it, stab it, or try to kill it in any other way, it won’t die. The only way to stop a Camazotz is to trap it and contain its evil.”

Harlow spoke up then, her voice filled with determination. “What do we need to do to help capture it?”

I thought for a moment, recalling the ancient texts I had studied back on my home planet. “We need to create a trap, one strong enough to hold the Camazotz. It will require a combination of magic and technology, and it won’t be easy.”

Chief Wilkins leaned forward, his expression serious. “Magic? You expect us to believe in magic?”

I met his gaze unflinchingly. “Whether you believe in it or not, it’s real. And it’s the only way to stop the Camazotz before it destroys everything in its path.”

The chief was silent for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. Finally, he sighed and nodded. “Alright. Tell us what we need to do.”

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