50 - “Doctor’s Orders”

Originally Written: March 5th, 2001

September 1st, 2001

“Ahem...testing, one, two, three...all right, it’s working. This is a compendium, a journal of sorts, of doctor Alan Pierce. I have decided to get some of my foremost thoughts down on tape to further help my book, to get a feel on how to turn a stack of notebooks in my apartment into a publication worth reading. To perhaps test out what direction this volume will take, even though Goliath will probably never allow me to release it. But with everything I have experienced, magic spells, evil gargoyles, hybrid children, I suppose I need to get these theories, ideas, and pure facts down before I’m dragged off to the insane asylum.”

“Let’s start with what turned my life completely upside down one night, when asked to the Eyrie building by noted trillionaire industrialist, David Xanatos. I developed a slight crick in the neck that particular evening when forced to stare up at a massive, lavender-skinned creature known only as Goliath. He is a gargoyle. A bi-pedal reptilian race with a surprising amount of human attributes. An enigma to many, and I hope this will clear up some things, or maybe even confuse you more.”

“First off, they are a sentient race, with the intelligence, reason, and understanding that rivals, and perhaps exceeds, humanity’s own. They have a unique affinity with their environment, either when dwelling in an urban landscape or a forested area far from any civilization. They are possessed of a largely humanoid form, with wings, tails, and taloned appendages, with a wide range of different skin colors, evidently adapted for camouflage. They actually have more in common with our race than most would think, having based these creatures...uh, please excuse my terminology, on their appearance, rather than looking beneath the sometimes frightening forms they possess. Basic physiological structure is similar, with identical major organs and internal organization, a notable difference being their enlarged hearts, with an odd triple beat, pumping enormous amounts of blood to their extra extremities, and feeding their powerful metabolism.”

“They possess almost all of the two hundred and six bones of the human form, plus many more, taking in mind the number, size and structure of digits of their hands and feet, their wings, and the tail. In most gargoyles though, the skulls, patella, lower arms and elbows, and numerous other larger bones contain long spurs, which jut out between their muscle and sinew, and are covered in their skin. Perhaps evolved for hunting, or fending off attackers.”

“Their wings are attached directly to the specially formed shoulder blades, designed much like the hip bones with a socket to brace the arms and allow a wide range of movement. The wing struts actually resemble a secondary pair of arms, with smaller versions of the ulna, radius, and humerous, ending off with either small hand-like appendages possessing usable fingers, or simple sharp spikes. Though movable, these arms are not strong enough to allow these creatures to fly, especially with the great weight the gargoyle forms usually maintain, and they seem designed specifically for gliding on currents of wind. The thin, yet flexible and extremely strong leathery membranes attached can either be segmented, by long stems of dense cartilage, or can be left completely unfettered. Some gargoyles possess ‘webbed-wings’, as they are known, in which a membrane will run the length of the arms, torso, and legs. Some wings can even be feathered, or split into what seems to be four separate pinions.”

“The gargoyle form itself is usually larger in size and stature, with their powerful metabolism creating extremely muscular forms, and massive amounts of the adrenocorticotropic hormone, which controls the secretion of steroid hormones by the adrenal cortex, granting them superhuman strength, especially in the males. Though some gargoyles are smaller as well, adapted for quicker flight, or better agility. Their strength can range anywhere from ten to forty times that of an average human male. Yet due to this metabolism, they need to feed in large amounts, especially consuming red meat, carbohydrates, proteins. They need to maintain a balanced diet to keep themselves healthful. Their elongated spine ends in a lengthy tail, much like that of the common cat, yet is almost prehensile, allowing them to perform a multitude of simple tasks. Oh, to have a third hand. The various combinations are infinite for this species, I’ve even heard that some resemble animals from the wild. It appears mother nature may have divided the gargoyle race into different physical classes: hunter, scout, warrior, caretaker... It almost seems endless.”

“But from where their species developed from, is a mystery. Perhaps they are another offshoot of the dinosaur, having battled against extinction and evolved into their humanoid forms over millions of years. Yet I am hesitant to place them into the reptile category, as they possess attributes unlike of any reptile I know of. Yes, they are oviparous, and lay eggs, yet they are warm-blooded, and are usually not bothered by even extremely cold weather. They have thick hide, yet it is soft to the touch, and devoid of any scales, or hair as well, except for their heads, eyelashes, and in some rare cases, eyebrows. They have great senses of hearing, sight, smell, touch, yet are as fragile as us normal, wingless humans. They even turn to stone...uh, don’t worry, I’ll get to this in a moment... Maybe they are what could be known as...a bi-species. A species with all the traits of two separate races. An extremely rare cross between mammal and reptile, and a much needed link between our radically different kinds.”

“Gargoyle mating. In rather lengthy discussions with some of the resident clan over a pot of very strong coffee, I have come to learn that they mate in the exact manner of humans, with a few...uhm, minor differences. In fact, gargoyles are the third species known, besides humans and dolphins, that engage in casual sex. Gargoyle females are built slightly different from their human counterparts. When they reproduce, the female releases an ovum, which travels from the ovaries, via the fallopian tubes, to their version of the uterus. When the male’s sperm is introduced, the egg is then fertilized, and conception has occurred. This much we know, if we paid attention to the boring part in sex education, instead of drawing faces on the pictures of sperm in our textbooks. The fetus will develop much like a human, yet this is where the similarities diminish, as the surrounding membrane will soon form into a hard shell, much like that of a bird. In six months, the egg, now roughly almost a foot in length, will be born through, now this is a kicker, a divided hip bone. The coccyx and ilium are actually separated components, held together with rigid tendons. A human child can form and mold itself to the birth canal, yet the egg cannot. When in the process of laying the egg, the hip bones will expand, and dislodge, comparable to the jaws of a snake, allowing the egg to safely pass though. I heard this is extremely painful, according to Desdemona, and I will definitely not argue, having delivered babies before, and seeing the mother nearly tear the father’s arm off...”

“And wallah! The egg has now been born, and will continue to grow, to almost twice it’s original size, for a further...ten years. Ten years. This is perhaps the longest gestation period I have ever heard of for any species on this planet. But still unknown is the question of whether or not the child actually turns to stone within the egg, which would effectively cut the maturing rate by half. And another theory is, that nature concluded the gargoyle eggs would need as much time as possible to mature the child inside, to prepare them for the entrance in the often dangerous wilds. From very reliable sources, gargoyle hatchlings are born not as babies, but almost as toddlers, with a full set of teeth, plenty of hair, fully developed wings, and greater strength than that of a newborn child. But even with this safety mechanism in place, they are a species on the verge of extinction.

“It’s truly sad, for their extinction rate, due to humanity’s prejudice and bigotry, and savage attacks upon these peaceful creatures, greatly outshines their growth rate.”

“And then we come to gargoyles...and humans. If any normal doctor, or scientist, was presented with a problem of two different species trying to conceive, they would never have imagined in a million years what could be the result. They would debunk every theory, and laugh at my findings. But then, I would only mutter three simple words.

Trinity Hope Maza. For a child of two species has been born from Elisa Maza, and Goliath, the clan leader, and from natural causes, without any medical or technological aid. Usually, an attempt to crossbreed results in deformed fetuses, miscarriages, or even total failure of fertilization, but Trinity was conceived and produced without any inherent disease or inborn affliction generally associated with offspring born from different species, especially ones so complex. That’s one hell of a stroke of luck.”

“She is just ten months old, having been brought into this world on Halloween night, and we had our monthly check-up last evening, and what I saw could be described as one fast growing kid. She appears three to four months ahead in growth rate, due to her gargoyle metabolism having just kicked in to high gear. Her human growth hormones, released from a dominantly human pituitary gland, have been affected by her gargoyle metabolism to elicit a surge in her physical and mental facilities, and will most likely taper off and return to a normal rate until...well, puberty. In a year from now, she’ll all but appear as a three year old, when only two years of age. She’s speaking a few words here and there, almost walking on her own, she has grown a complete set of teeth, fanged no doubt, and her hair has grown in full. Due to her mother’s lineage, a ratio of approximately fifty five percent human genes to forty five percent gargoyle has occurred, which results in a near normal human appearance, yet she possesses wings, a tail, bone spurs along her brow and elbows, taloned hands and toes, with four digits on each high-arched foot. I have even found minute traces of a phosphorescent substance in her eyes, which when angry, is inflamed by an involuntary response by the nervous system, causing the eyes to glow brilliantly, another gargoyle characteristic. The wings are the dominant trait inherited from her father, a strong pair of wings with healthy struts, and powerful membranes as strong and pliable as skin. If she were to mate with a human and produce offspring, I believe only the wings would be passed down to her children.”

“Sidenote. Elisa’s body may create a template for future children to follow. Any consecutive births may result in a form almost exacting to Trinity. The only mysteries may be the sex, and the skin pigmentation. Oh boy, I can hardly wait...”

“She is a hope for them, her parents. I see the sparkle in their eyes every time they’re in my office, watching as Trinity squeals underneath the cold stethoscope. They have achieved the near impossible, and I truly hope they will beat the odds again, and are able to have another. It all hinges on the similarity of DNA and bloodtype. Goliath and Elisa are close enough in genetype to have a good chance at compatibility, and they won their risky gamble to become parents of a healthy daughter. A roll of dice in their favor.”

“Hypothetical situation. Todd Hawkins and Annika Smith, an interspecies couple as they are now known, have a child. A human father, and gargoyle mother. The gene ratio is now reversed, as Annika would carry the child to term. It would develop as an egg, and be born as an egg. And due to the gargoyle DNA inherent, the child would take considerable time to gestate, at least twice the length of humans, anywhere from eighteen months to four years, including the six months spent in the mother’s womb. And because the child will be largely gargoyle, it will presumably possess Annika’s appearance, and have the ability to turn to stone.”

“Ah yes, the stone sleep. I promised you I would get to this. The most baffling attribute of the gargoyle race. When they are subjected to the sun’s rays, they are...uhm, ‘transformed’, for lack of a better word, into ordinary rock, an unknown type which looks as if a cross between black granite, Anorthosite, and some kind of slate. And no, I am not a geologist... They become statues that are as fragile as any stone sculpture. Then, when the sun sets, they seem to break out from now only a thin layer of this stone, no more than a few millimeters thick, and are free to resume their lives. This sleep, affirmed by Goliath, is the result of...ahem, a magic spell. Well, this flushes eight years of schooling at Harvard medical down the john. This spell was cast over three thousand years ago on all gargoyles around the world, and now has somehow integrated itself into their biological systems, becoming in essence, a part of them. It acts as a healing state, amending almost all injury sustained during the night, and even helps to support their metabolism as well. I was able to coerce Goliath into submitting to some tests. Just before dawn, I was able to record a slight charge of some form of electricity within his pituitary gland, and in a split second, it surged throughout his entire body, and then, stone. It seems this spell has affected the gargoyle version of pituitary hormones, which are primarily released in pulses that take place during the beginning phases of sleep. Unfortunately, I am unable to gather anymore data on this phenomenon, as I am fearful to harm or destroy their stone form, which would effectively kill them. As for a cure, I know of only one thing...sun pendants, possessed by the clan in Guatemala, that can break their curse. Yes, I know, more magic. Yet even if more pendants can be produced, I am hesitant to have this clan going for extended periods without their stone sleep, as their very biological cycle has grown dependent. I guess only time will tell...”

“Oh...sorry about that, I have a tendency to ramble. Anyway, back to the mating. When gargoyles and humans attempt to mate, the similarity factor comes into play, the governing rule for procreation. For Todd and Annika need to be genetically compatible to conceive. Even their blood must be comparable. Gargoyles have bloodtypes that are just different enough, that they can’t be catalogued in the human norm. So I have been forced to create new classifications, and have started on the other end of the alphabet, for the five types I have encountered so far from this clan. Goliath, the first tested, has been designated as Z, and no, doctors aren’t always required to use their imaginations. His bloodtype was similar enough to Elisa’s to allow a good chance for children, and of course, Elisa is healthy, and in very good shape. Todd and Annika are somewhat similar as well, and a child may be possible between them, but...the odds...aren’t exactly in their favor.”

“Sidenote. It seems Hudson’s bloodtype is exactly the same as Broadway’s. As is his genetic profile, a complete match. It’s almost as if...”

“In any event, there are not always happy endings in these pairings though, as I have recently found out. Her name is Delilah, and she is also a hybrid of human and gargoyle, yet created through technology, a futuristic science we have barely begun to explore.

Cloning. And as the Eyrie’s principal doctor, it became my tragic task to inform her that she would never be able to have children, due to a malformed uterus, most likely caused by rushing through the artificial growth sequence when in the initial stages of her ‘birth’. I have been the one chosen many times to inform the family of a loved one’s condition, and have related the information without showing any emotion, a well practiced duty, but...this is different. I still remember her face when I was forced to tell her, that she could never have children, and I am forever haunted by her breaking down in tears and running from my office. Though it seems she is beginning to accept her fate, and is healing from the news, it’s still extremely hard to imagine what she must be feeling, especially when watching over her baby half-sister, a constant reminder of what she may not have. I am compelled to help her, if only to ease my own heart...and hers, of course.”

“The good news, like I told her before, is that she is still able to release an ovum, and there is a good chance it is viable enough to be fertilized...yet it will only be quickly expunged from the misshapen womb, for her powerful gargoyle immune system is attempting to protect her body from anything that may cause her harm. If only...if only we could find another...place to...grow the egg...wait a minute...ovum...sperm......of course...A SURROGATE MOTHER!!!”

“Why the hell didn’t I think of this before?!! If we take Delilah’s ovum, fertilized by Shadow’s sperm, and implant the egg into another body...the child could be brought to term safely! I think I know why this was never considered, as...due to the rarity of her origin, there is conceivably only two women in this entire world that would not reject the ovum, those who’s DNA was taken from originally to form this clone. Elisa Maza, and...Demona, a gargoyle female. One of these women could successfully bring the egg to term, yet, with all the extraneous genes floating around, I have no idea just how this child would grow and develop. It could acquire either the father or mother’s characteristics, whether human or gargoyle. Wings, tail, even the ability to turn to stone. And if it’s form turned out anything like the father, live birth for a human would be impossible, due to the numerous amounts of very sharp spurs Shadow possesses, a hazard to the fragile lining of the uterus. A cesarean section would be necessary for the mother’s safety...”

“And of course, there’s the fact of Demona’s transformations from gargoyle to human, a curious distinction she alone possesses, due to yet another magic spell. I have no idea how this affects the womb, and if she ever tried to attempt to carry a child, drastic measures would have to be taken to ensure the fetus would not be harmed from the constant transition between two different species.”

“Hmm...dammit, I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. I tend to get a little excited sometimes. The actual chance of this working may be slim, and I don’t want to get her hopes up, and then fail. But I will try...”

“Well, if you have at least survived this much, than I am impressed. My book, I hope, will run into a little more detail, for benefit of those in the scientific field who would appreciate every single aspect of the past year of gargoyle matings, hybrid children, and magic spells...well, maybe not the latter. My work here, with these remarkable creatures, has been...enlightening, to say the least. My eyes have been opened, I have seen past the boundaries of what science thought to be the absolute finality of what we could achieve. Thanks to a race of winged protectors, who are a little magical themselves.”

“The gargoyle race has yet to be classified, catalogued, or their true origin revealed. An abtrusiveness which can only be dreamed about. In short, it seems the laws of nature have been stretched, bent, and right out broken with this species. Perhaps hope, and belief, and love, are strong enough to combat the rigid controls descended upon us. Life and nature are extremely adaptive, and possibly, this young girl, Trinity Hope, is the next stage in our evolution. The best of both worlds, to serve the best interests of both species, to unite a warring world.”

“All I know is, that right now...I’m getting one hell of a paycheque.”

“Note to self...erase that last part...”

Continue to the Next Chapter of this Series