Page 6 of Prize for the Alien Grumpus

The music swells again, twice as energetic as before. My subjects shower me with confetti and praise. This is more like it - the proper way to honor Krampus the Destroyer.

The procession halts at a vast open space. A towering evergreen dominates the center, wrapped in unlit strands that remind me of stellar navigation beacons.

"Our guest of honor will light the tree!" Someone shoves a primitive power coupling into my claws.

"This pathetic device controls your sacred arbor?" I ask.

"Just flip the switch!" Someone pleads.

I crush the mechanism in my grip. Electricity arcs between my horns, dancing through my fur. The tree blazes to life, each tiny bulb igniting in sequence.

The crowd erupts in cheers. Again. These humans are easily impressed by the simplest displays of power. No resistance, no challenge - just instant submission. Where's the fun in that?

The female's scent still tugs at my senses. My debt remains unpaid. Until I find her and balance the scales, my honor lies in tatters like those protest signs back on the street.

"Hey there, big boy." A female stumbles against my arm, reeking of fermented grain. Her garment barely covers her vital organs. "What's under all that fur, hmm?"

"My... fur?" I ask.

Her fingers tangle in my chest ruff. "Come on, take off the costume. Show us what you really look like."

"Costume?" I say, still confused.

She grabs my muzzle with both hands and pulls. Hard.

"What kind of mask is this? It won't come -" Her eyes widen as my tongue flicks across her palm. "Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god!"

Her shriek pierces the night. The crowd's adoration transforms into pure terror. Bodies crash together in their rush to escape. Drinks and snacks scatter across the ground. Music dies in a cacophony of dropped instruments.

I stretch my arms wide, breathing in their fear.

"Now THIS is the way I'm used to being greeted on a new planet."

CHAPTER 3

MEL

The brake lights ahead glow like demon eyes in the darkness. My hands grip the steering wheel tight enough to leave marks.

"What am I going to do?"

The words escape in a whisper, lost beneath the hum of my ancient Honda's heater. Traffic inches forward another car length. A semi's air brakes hiss to my right.

My boss is an alien. My actual boss is an actual alien. The thought bounces around my skull like a pinball machine gone haywire. Those weird meetings, the strange smells from his office, how he never seems to blink...

"The police. I should call the police."

But the words taste wrong on my tongue. What would I even say? 'Hello officer, my boss is green and scaly under his business suit?' They'd have me committed faster than I could say 'take me to your leader.'

Sam's face flashes through my mind - her gap-toothed smile, those bright eyes that light up whenever I walk through the door. My throat closes up. One wrong move and I'd lose her forever. They'd take her away from the crazy mother who sees aliens.

My hands shake as I edge the car forward another few feet. The Christmas lights strung across the overpass blur through my windshield.

"But I have to do something, right?"

The words hang in the air, unanswered. What can I do? I can't go back to work like nothing happened. Can't pretend I didn't see what I saw. Can't risk losing my baby girl.

A horn blares behind me. I jump, heart racing, and realize the traffic has started moving again.

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