UNDER my SKIN

[Setting: Narrow alley between buildings – NYC vibes thick in the air]

Narration (Jude's POV, heavy breathing, panic rising):

Time froze.

I was locked into his eyes—Ereth-Kaal's eyes.

Or what should've been eyes.

But they were just… blank. White.

No pupils, no irises.

Just this void… pulling me into the deepest, darkest fear I've ever known.

And the more I tried to resist?

The harder it pulled me in.

Ereth-Kaal's smile widens. Slow. Controlled. Like a damn demon savoring the moment.

Ereth-Kaal (internal monologue, ancient, eerie):

"Hmm... This mortal… got that look. I've seen it for centuries—same exact eyes right before they die. But this one's weird... He ain't after power, not even money. What the hell is this squirrel after?"

"Hah... For once, I got a host worth messin' with. So I'mma break him first. Then we'll see what he becomes."

Ereth-Kaal moves in, real slow, till Jude feels his breath—hot and cursed—on his face.

Ereth-Kaal (low, wicked):

"I'll keep it simple for both of us. First kill's always rough. Seeing someone die right in front of you? Yeah… it hits. But you'll get used to it. You'll even like the taste."

Jude stumbles back, pupils shrinking. Fear. Raw. Paralyzing.

Jude (stuttering):

"W–w–what… d–d–do you mean by taste?"

Ereth-Kaal tilts his head, smile stretching ear to ear—

like it's unhinging. Like he's too happy.

Ereth-Kaal (whispers into Jude's ear):

"I mean you're gonna taste every single one of them. Every. Human. A mouthful of iron that never leaves your tongue, no matter how many rivers you gargle through."

"You're the host. I can't eat without you. You're just a tool, remember that… before you start rebelling, Jude."

Time slams back into motion—Jude's heart's thumping like a war drum. Even the birds stop mid-flight. The air? Too heavy to breathe.

Jude's thoughts (panic):

"I–I can't move... My body's just not listening. Like my nerves just… disconnected."

Ereth-Kaal (casual AF, from inside Jude's mind):

"Shock. You're in it. Try movin'—you'll feel like a wet noodle."

Jude (in terror):

"Wait—wait how the hell do you know what I'm thinking?!"

Ereth-Kaal starts pacing around him, real slow, whispering like a ghost in his skull.

Ereth-Kaal:

"I don't just know what you think. I've seen every damn frame."

"Since the day your pride-junkie dad kissed his new wife's feet and forgot your mother died giving birth to you..."

"You think if you weren't born, she'd still be alive, huh?"

"And when you turned four—remember that? Daddy married that narcissist with her Barbie-doll daughter. And she made your life hell. Screamed at you, locked you out, and nobody believed a damn word you said..."

Ereth-Kaal (screaming now, pure rage):

"Don't you wanna kill her? Don't you wanna burn it all down?! Months sleeping with rats while she kicked you out at fifteen?!"

Jude covers his ears, crying, whispering:

"Stop…"

Ereth-Kaal (unhinged):

"You're nothing!"

Jude:

"Stop…"

Ereth-Kaal:

"You've been useless your whole damn life!"

Jude:

"Stop!"

Ereth-Kaal:

"You're a curse to everyone around you. Your mom died because of you!"

Jude (screaming):

"STOP!! It's not my fault!"

Ereth-Kaal just grins and leans in:

Ereth-Kaal (mocking):

"Oh but it is."

[Jude snaps — the breaking point.]

Jude (growling, furious, broken):

"GET OUT, YOU COWARDLY PIECE OF SHIT!"

"I swear to God, I'll—!"

He lunges. Grabs a huge rock off the ground. Swings it like it's all he's got.

But Ereth-Kaal? He just slips right back into Jude's body like smoke vanishing into air.

Jude freezes mid-swing. His hands tremble. He looks down.

His chest… it's bubbling.

Sound FX:

"Shhhhkkkrr... trrrrk _!"

Three black tendrils burst out of his chest like alien snakes.

They wrap around his arms—tight. Restraining. Crushing.

Jude (screaming, thrashing):

"LET ME GO! LET ME—!!"

But the more he moves, the tighter they squeeze.

Every struggle makes it worse. He's being claimed.

Ereth-Kaal's voice echoes from deep within, like a devil inside his lungs.

Ereth-Kaal (laughing):

"Hahaha...

See that?

You're helpless. Useless.

Now it's time to eat.

Time for you to feel what I feel, mortal."

Jude's throat tightens. He wants to scream. To beg.

But nothing comes out. Not a word. Not a breath.

Sound FX (wet, horrifying):

"Shllrrrkkk...!"

"Shllrrrrkkfff...!"

Black sludge starts leaking from every pore in his skin.

It crawls. It spreads.

Over his arms. His neck. His face.

His body grows—bloats with muscle, stretching.

From six feet tall to nearly ten.

Monster mode: unlocked.

When the black substance hits his head, it moves faster—like it's been waiting for this moment forever.

It morphs into sharp, jagged teeth across his throat.

Eyes—multiple—emerge along his skull, glowing.

Ereth-Kaal's eyes.

And then... the mouth seals shut, snapping over Jude's face.

A perfect, horrific mask.

But it ain't over. Nah. This thing's just getting started.

Bones start growing on the outside—thick, plated, armor-like.

He ain't wearing protection.

He IS the protection now.

And then... the roar.

Ereth-Kaal (roars):

"KREEEEEARGHH!!"

Glass windows? Shattered.

Birds? Dropping dead from the sky.

Debris rains down like it's judgment day.

He looks up—locks eyes with the top of a building—tilts his head, grinning like a lunatic.

He bends his knees. The ground cracks under him.

He mutters:

Ereth-Kaal:

"Time they met their real king."

BOOM—he leaps. Nah, rockets up.

Like five… no, seven stories in one jump.

Lands on the rooftop like a meteor—

Then jumps again. And again.

Each time he lands, the concrete explodes under him.

He's not jumping—he's breaking the city.

And inside him, Jude is screaming. Trapped. Feeling it all.

Jude (panicked):

"What the hell are you DOING?! STOP JUMPING! GIVE ME MY BODY BACK!"

Ereth-Kaal doesn't even flinch. Just thinking out loud:

Ereth-Kaal (calm, calculating):

"Need food…

Something easy.

Messy, but quiet.

No crowds."

He keeps leaping from building to building like Spider-Man's evil twin.

Hunting. Watching.

Jude? Still screaming. Still ignored.

Time passes. An hour. Two. Jude's voice goes hoarse inside.

He stops yelling.

Just watches. Numb.

And then—boom—heat signatures. Jude sees 'em glowing yellow in the distance. Three of them.

Near an abandoned building.

Ereth-Kaal (excited):

"HAHAHHAAHHAAA_!

Food.

The good kind.

You're gonna love this."

Jude (desperate, begging):

"No! Don't you dare! Don't you FREAKING dare!! I'm not eating anyone! YOU HEAR ME?!"

Ereth-Kaal (soft, almost playful):

"Relax... It's outta your hands now.

But hey—might even enjoy it. Who knows?"

Jude can't speak anymore.

He just keeps whispering to himself:

Jude (to himself, broken):

"I'm not the killer… I didn't do this… I'm being forced…

I'm not a killer… not a killer…"

Ereth-Kaal (murmurs):

"Remember this moment, Jude.

The first humans… we're gonna taste together."

Jude (snaps):

"I'M BEING FORCED, YOU UGLY PIECE OF SHIT!!"

Ereth-Kaal (grinning):

"Aww. Thanks for the compliment."

[Abandoned Building – Rooftop Nearby – Ereth-Kaal Watching]

Ereth-Kaal stands still, crouching like a predator.

His glowing eyes scan the alley below.

Three heat signatures: two men. One woman.

The guys? Holding her down. She's kicking, thrashing.

But bound. Gagged. Screaming into nothing.

One of the guys (taunting):

"Will, Will, Will... You gonna go first or should I?"

His buddy (laughing, smirking):

"Ha! Bro, this was your idea. You did the snatch job. Go ahead, have your fun."

Will licks his lips and steps toward the girl.

Her muffled scream? Pure terror.

Girl (gagged):

"Mmmphh _! mmMMMPHmmphh _!"

Ereth-Kaal watches, calm.

Amused.

Like he's at a damn theater.

His arm morphs—liquid black turns into tendrils.

Long. Silent. Deadly.

They slither out.

Snaking down the side of the building.

The tendrils slide toward the second guy.

The one watching. Laughing.

Totally unaware.

Sound FX:

"SLLSSSHHH…"

Then—

"SQUELCH!"

The tendrils clamp around the dude.

Drag him up like a rag doll.

Fast. Silent.

No time to scream.

Mouth covered.

Pulled straight to Ereth-Kaal's face.

And what does the monster do?

He licks the guy's face.

Real slow. Real gross.

Then—

"CRUNCH!"

Head. Gone.

One bite.

Skull? Vaporized.

Brains? Splash.

Neck? Just red mist.

"GULP!"

Down it goes.

No struggle.

Just hunger.

Jude feels it.

All of it.

The crunch. The taste. The warm, metallic mess.

Like he's the one doing it.

Because technically?

He is.

Ereth-Kaal looks at the rest of the body.

Shrugs.

"GLRRRK—GULP!"

Swallowed whole.

Even the bones.

Just spit the shoes out like cherry pits.

Then he turns...

To Will.

The one pinning the girl.

Still focused.

Still evil.

Still doesn't know what's behind him.

The girl? She sees him.

Ereth-Kaal.

And she loses it.

Muffled screaming, eyes wide like saucers.

Thrashing harder now.

Will (annoyed):

"Quit squirming already!"

Ereth-Kaal walks up.

Taps him on the shoulder. Lightly.

Will (without looking):

"Not now, Jack! You said I get first shot, remember? Wait your goddamn turn!"

Ereth-Kaal taps again. Harder.

Will turns around, pissed—

"CRUNCH!"

His head? Gone.

One moment it's there, next it's hamburger.

Blood sprays across the alley wall like Jackson Pollock with trauma issues.

Ereth-Kaal (satisfied):

"Finally... It's been ages since I had real meat."

He turns to the girl.

Lifts her up like a feather.

She's shaking, crying into the gag.

"MMMMMPHMMPHH!!"

His jaw opens—wide. Wider than it should.

Rows of teeth flexing.

He's ready to bite—when suddenly...

Jude (from deep inside, SCREAMING):

"NOOOOOOOO!!!

PLEASE!!!

You already ate TWO!

Yeah, they were monsters—but she's not!

She's INNOCENT!

I'm begging you—just this once!

DON'T EAT HER!!"

Ereth-Kaal pauses.

Closes his mouth.

Looks at the girl.

She's still sobbing, frozen in terror.

Ereth-Kaal (thinking out loud):

"Hmm...

Fine.

I'll spare her.

Just this once."

Jude (relieved, smiling through tears):

"Thank you... Thank you so mu—"

Ereth-Kaal (grins):

"Just kidding."

"CHOMP!"

He bites.

Top half—gone.

GULP.

Jude goes silent.

Frozen.

Can't think.

Can't cry.

Can't breathe.

He stands there… watching through Ereth-Kaal's eyes.

Blood on the walls.

On his hands.

On his soul.

Jude (narrating inside):

"What have I done...

I'm the one who found the book...

I released this demon...

I'm the host.

I'm the damn host...

I'm the one to blame."

Ereth-Kaal (mocking, giggling):

"Awww… You break so easy.

Let's break you more."

He begins retracting.

Bones crack.

The black mass melts away into Jude's pores.

Back to human form.

Back to... reality.

Jude stands alone.

Room painted in gore.

Half a girl on the floor.

He can't scream.

He can't move.

He just walks out.

Slow.

Broken.

Under the night sky.

Each step heavier than the last.

[Steps echo in the silence:]

Step...

Step...

Step...

In his head?

The massacre plays on repeat.

Over.

And over.

And over.

Ereth-Kaal?

Silent.

Smiling on the inside.

Drinking Jude's pain like fine wine.

But then…

Jude reaches his apartment.

And does something Ereth-Kaal never expected.

He walks to the oven.

Cranks the heat.

To max.

Like hellfire in a metal box.

Ereth-Kaal (confused):

"Mmmh...

What are you doing, kid?"

Jude doesn't answer.

He walks over to the couch.

Grabs the book.

The cursed one.

The one that started it all.

Then—

"FWOOSH!"

He hurls it into the fire.

Screaming:

Jude:

"If that's your only sanctuary—

Then burn with it, you monster!!"

The book lands in the flames.

And it screams.

A thousand whispers.

A thousand trapped souls.

Dying all at once.

Ereth-Kaal freaks.

Physically pulls his head out of Jude's back.

Eyes wide.

Face pale.

For the first time...

He's afraid.

Ereth-Kaal (panicking):

"You little bastard squirrel!!

Do you realize what you've just done?!"

Jude (calm, stone-cold):

"Yeah.

I destroyed your little hideout.

Now you've got nowhere to run."

Ereth-Kaal (snapping):

"If I die...

YOU DIE WITH ME!

Do you get that?!"

Jude steps in. Nose to nose.

Jude (icy whisper):

"Good.

So follow my rules now.

Or I swear I'll end myself—

And drag your sorry ass with me."

Ereth-Kaal (hesitates):

"You wouldn't dare."

Jude:

"Try me."

Ereth-Kaal stares.

Sees it in Jude's eyes.

The crazy's real.

This host ain't bluffing.

Ereth-Kaal (grumbling):

"...Fine.

But I gotta feed.

If I starve too long, I'll eat you.

And then? We both die."

Jude (thinking of what he's seen):

"...Fine.

But I've got conditions."

Ereth-Kaal (sighs):

"Lay 'em on me."

Jude (counts on his fingers):

"One… No women or kids."

"Two… We only eat criminals. Got it? Only the worst. Nothing else."

Ereth-Kaal wants to protest.

But he knows—this isn't a game anymore.

So he nods.

And melts back into Jude.

Silent.

Obeying.

Jude curls into bed.

Silent tears.

Eyes wide.

The massacre still looping in his head.

Again.

And again...

And again...

END OF CHAPTER.

🔥 WHAT'S NEXT?

Can Jude survive this deal with the devil?

Will Ereth-Kaal really obey?

And what happens when the rules get… bent?

Will Jude snap again?

Or is this just the start of something worse?