While Arnaud took refuge in the safety of his hideout, a few kilometers away, a group of armed men gathered around a small campfire, resting after a night of illegal activities.

They were part of a powerful cartel that operated in the region, taking advantage of the density of the forest and the lack of police presence to carry out their operations.

One of them, a burly man with a scar on his face, leaned back against the vehicle where they had stored their weapons and drugs, and began to speak in a low voice.

"Hey, have I told you the story of the Chupacabra?" he said, a sinister smile on his face.

The other men, some with bored expressions and others with a hint of curiosity, gathered closer to hear the story.

"It was a few years ago, when our cartel started expanding into this area. We had the perfect hideout deep in the forest, far from prying eyes. Everything was going well, until strange things started happening."

He paused dramatically, looking at the others with narrowed eyes.

"Our men started disappearing. At first, we thought it was just deserters or another cartel. But then, we found the bodies... or what was left of them."

Some of the men shuddered, exchanging uneasy glances.

"They had been completely drained of blood. Not a single drop was left. It was as if... something had sucked the life out of them."

"What the hell?" muttered one of the sicarios, his eyes wide.

"That's not all," continued the scarred man. "Some nights, we could hear terrifying screams coming from the forest. They sounded like something was torturing our men."

He paused, letting the tension build.

"Finally, one of our guys managed to catch a glimpse of the creature. He said it was some kind of animal, but much bigger and more terrifying. It had glowing eyes and sharp fangs. And it moved with supernatural speed."

Some of the men started murmuring among themselves, clearly nervous.

"Since then, we've been very careful not to get too close to the forest at night. That monster, that... Chupacabras, has taken too many of us."

The scarred man leaned forward, his voice now barely a whisper.

"They say it's a demon that feeds on the blood of its victims. And if you see it, it's because it's already chosen you as its next prey."

A tense silence fell over the group, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Whoaa!"

One of the men emerged from behind the younger members, startling them and triggering laughter from the adults.

♢♢♢♢

A little while later, one of the younger men cleared his throat and asked the leader of their group.

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"Hey, is that Chupacabra thing for real? I mean, have you seen it yourself?"

The older man stared at him.

"Last night, when we were coming back from a job, I saw something moving between the trees while in my car. I couldn't make out what it was, but I swear it chilled me to the bone. I think we should check that area out for a while."

The others nodded silently, the idea of facing a creature alone was much worse.

♢♢♢♢

Meanwhile, in the forest, Arnaud mustered the courage to explore the area around the road again. After his encounter with that speeding vehicle, his curiosity had overcome his fear.

With cautious steps, he approached the strange gray stone path once more. He watched as the vehicles continued to pass at high speed, never straying from that flat, uniform surface.

Intrigued, he moved a little closer, trying to understand how those mechanical creatures worked. They seemed to be designed specifically to travel along that road, without venturing into the surrounding forest.

As he observed, he noticed that some of the vehicles would stop at certain points along the road. These were wider areas, with bright lights and strange structures. Were they perhaps stops or shelters for those creatures?

Fascinated, Arnaud moved a bit closer, keeping himself hidden among the trees. He wanted to understand this new world that was unfolding before him.

That's when he heard voices, coming from further into the forest. Sharpening his senses, Arnaud moved cautiously, trying to identify the source of the sound.

As he approached, he could distinguish a group of men speaking in a language he did not recognize.

Arnaud paused, observing carefully. Were they more of those mechanical creatures? Or perhaps they were people like him, although clearly very different?

Moving a little closer, Arnaud strained to understand what they were saying. Although he couldn't make out the words, the tone of voice and the expression on their faces told him they were discussing something unsettling.

Suddenly, one of the men said something that sounded like "Chupacabra", and Arnaud felt a chill run down his spine. Were they referring to the creature he had faced?

Swallowing hard, Arnaud remained hidden, watching and listening intently. Perhaps, if he could understand these strangers better, he might find a way to communicate with them and obtain information about this new world.

But when one of the men looked directly towards where Arnaud was hiding, he knew he had been discovered.

Then, he remembered the lesson he had learned with the "Chupacabra" (jaguar). He had managed to survive that encounter, and had even emerged stronger. Perhaps, with patience and determination, he could learn to navigate this new world as well.

Determined, Arnaud stood up and approached the highway, looking one last time towards the darkness of the forest. He needed to communicate with those men, to understand who they were and what they were doing in this place.

"¡Oye, tú! ¡Detente!" ("Hey, you! Stop!") one of the men shouted, but Arnaud did not stop.

Finally, he reached the slope. What was he going to do now? Those men seemed dangerous, and he had no way to communicate with them.

"Hoalh, eth mèu nom eth Arnaud", ("Hello my name is Arnaud") he said, trying the words in his native tongue.

But the men did not seem to understand. They continued speaking in that strange language, and one of them even pointed a peculiar object at Arnaud, which he did not recognize.

Taking a step forward, Arnaud tried again.

"Hoalh, eth mèu nom eth Arnaud," he repeated, this time with more firmness.

But the men still did not understand, and one of them shouted something that sounded like "¡Alto ahí!" in that unknown tongue.

Frustrated, Arnaud moved a little closer, trying to find a way to communicate. Perhaps, if he could establish a dialogue, he could learn more about this new world and how to survive in it.

But before he could do anything else, one of the men pressed the strange object he was holding, and a deafening explosion filled the air.

Arnaud saw a light, and then everything went dark.