Chapter 49: News About the Grimms

Chapter 49: News About the Grimms

"The Grimm's Fairy Tales that children read today are just sanitized nursery rhymes—versions revised and censored countless times."

"The original Grimm stories weren't just for kids. They were aimed at adults too. Dark, violent, bloody, terrifying—they were records of supernatural monsters. The Grimms used their tales to expose these horrors and, most importantly, to describe how to kill them."

"But those original tales have long disappeared," John said.

"If only there were still a Grimm around. With their eyes, even a perfect shapeshifter disguise would be seen through instantly," he sighed.

"Do you know a Grimm? Could they help us?" Frank asked eagerly.

"I did know one—a hunter, a descendant of the Grimms. But we've lost contact for a long time. She might already be dead."

"The Grimms had the Eyes of Truth. No monster could escape their gaze. If anyone could recognize every creature, it would be the Grimms."

"What makes monsters terrifying is their mystery. People don't know what they really are. Once the truth is revealed, they stop being monsters and become prey—just like tigers and leopards."

"That's why the Grimms were monsters' natural enemies. Eventually, the monsters struck back. Though the Grimms slew countless horrors, they suffered huge losses and were nearly wiped out. Only a few scattered descendants remain."

"I happened to meet one during a demon-hunting job," John said with a sigh.

Frank's mind wandered.

"If monsters are real, then what about aliens? Are there aliens too?" he asked, curious.

John paused.

"Aliens? Maybe. Maybe not. Personally, I haven't run into any… but I have seen plenty of monsters disguised as aliens—or mistaken for them," John replied.

"You don't seem scared at all," he added, glancing at Frank.

John noticed this since last night. Ordinary people would be paralyzed with fear at the sight of a monster—legs weak, maybe even losing control of their bowels. But Frank had fired at the monster and dragged John to safety. Even hearing these truths today, he remained calm.

This wasn't something you could explain with "bravery" or "a strong heart." It was something deeper.

"What's there to be scared of?" Frank shrugged. "Though, yeah, when that shapeshifter got up after taking a bullet through the neck, that did give me a bit of a scare."

If it had been in his previous life, Frank might not have handled the truth.

But lately, his life had been a rollercoaster.

He crossed into this world, inheriting a mess from the old Frank—a broken family, estranged children. Yet somehow, Frank now had kids—sons, daughters, older and younger—and for a while, he got to enjoy something like a real family. But the "old Frank" had made a mess so deep that no quick fix could undo it.

Before he could even try to repair those bonds, he was hit with a cancer diagnosis. No money for treatment. Too scared to go to the doctor. He didn't know how long he had left.

So he started spiraling, doing things he never would have dreamed of before—illegal things—to pay off debts and credit cards.

If he was already doomed, then learning that monsters were real wasn't such a shock. In fact, seeing things no one else had seen was almost... refreshing.

The only thing Frank truly worried about was whether these monsters would hurt his kids.

"You've told me a lot, but I'd still like to see one of these other monsters myself. I wonder if they're anything like the ones on TV," Frank said.

"Actually, I just remembered—inside my clothes, there's a notebook. I recorded everything I know about the monsters I've encountered. You should take a look," John said.

"Hang on, I'll go check," Frank replied, heading to the bathroom.

John's clothes were still there—soaked in blood and left untouched. Everyone else had gone off to help with Veronica's brother, so no one had cleaned up yet.

Frank rummaged through the clothes thoroughly—but the notebook was nowhere to be found.

"I always kept it in a hidden pocket inside my undershirt. It wouldn't have fallen out. Someone must have taken it," John said.

"But who would take it?" Frank frowned, thinking hard.

The notebook was filled with information about supernatural creatures. Fiona, Lip, and Ian wouldn't believe any of it. At most, they might flip through it before tossing it aside.

Veronica had been there too, but she'd been busy with wedding preparations. She helped stitch John up last night and then left. It probably wasn't her.

Debbie, just a little girl, would've been terrified by the contents. If she saw it, she definitely would've said something.

That left only one suspect.

"Carl. It has to be Carl," Frank muttered.

Of everyone in the house, only Carl had the kind of curiosity to take John's notebook.

Frank went straight to Carl's room and turned the place upside down—but the notebook wasn't there.

"Did he hide it in someone else's room?" Frank wondered and started searching the others'.

"Huh? What's this?" he muttered while checking Ian and Lip's room.

He'd moved a cabinet and heard something drop behind it. Reaching underneath, his fingers closed around what felt like a book. He grinned, thinking he'd found the notebook.

But when he pulled it out and got a good look, he froze.

It wasn't John's journal.

It was a magazine—with a scantily-clad woman on the cover.

"So someone's been hiding their little 'Adonis Physique ' collection," Frank smirked knowingly.

Boys that age all had secret stashes—whether magazines or hidden folders labeled "Study Materials" filled with videos of girls.

"Lip's, or Ian's?" Frank muttered as he casually flipped it open.

Then his face changed.

It was as if he'd just taken a big bite of food and found a cockroach inside—and not just any cockroach, but one half-eaten and still twitching.

Inside weren't pictures of women.

It was all men. Very muscular men. Flexing, posing, and doing... things to each other.

"Holy sh—!" Frank shouted, his hand reflexively dropping the magazine to the floor.