UNDER my SKIN

Current Location

(Apartment 5B, Jude's Crappy Little Hellhole)

The sky's straight-up pitch black.

Birds? Nah, they dipped. Ain't no way they stickin' around in this weather.

Three fat crows sittin' on the window like they pay rent or somethin'...

"THWIP!"

Outta nowhere, a black tentacle just SNAPS out and slaps all three of 'em.

"THUD—THUD—THUD!"

The crows crash into each other like idiots and fly off, squawkin' like they owe money.

Then, boom—Ereth-Kaal sticks his head out the window like some grumpy demon grandpa: "Shoo, ya filthy feathered rats! Go crap on someone else's window!!"

He slams the window shut like it disrespected his ancestors, then turns to look at Jude—who's passed out, face all puffy from cryin' all damn night.

Ereth-Kaal mumbles to himself like he's narratin' a villain monologue: "Why? Outta all the hosts...

Across all the damn centuries...

I end up with this crybaby?"

He walks up, pokes Jude in the face like he's checkin' if he's still alive, then keeps ramblin': "I mean… yeah, sure, the kid's a twig, but with my upgrades? Dude's basically a cursed Hercules now.

Problem is, he don't even know it.

But HOW?!

How the hell did this squirrel-brained fool even think to burn the book?!"

"Every single host before him bowed down to me.

Thousands of years of raw power, domination...

Ruined.

By some dumbass cryin' over a chick he didn't even kill.

Didn't even know her!"

He glances right, full of sarcasm: "Ohhhh I miss her, boohoo."

Then turns left and SCREAMS like a banshee:

"STOP MOPING, YOU PATHETIC LITTLE SQUIRREL!!"

His head starts zippin' around the room like a possessed drone, yelling: "I am Ereth-Kaal—the world-ender, the soul devourer...

And I'm gettin' bossed around by some napping squirrel?!

NO.

Hell NO."

He locks eyes with his reflection in the mirror.

He sees it.

The book burning.

Jude threatening him.

Obeying.

Bowing down.

His pride takes a nosedive.

…

....

"KREEEEEARGHH!!"

He SCREAMS from deep inside like his soul's tryin' to claw its way out,

and two massive tentacles BURST outta Jude's chest.

"CRASH—TWINKLE-TINKLE!"

He straight-up obliterates the mirror like it just insulted his mom.

"NO NO NO!

I'M THE BOSS HERE!

I'M IN CHARGE!

I AM ERETH-KAAAAAAAAAAL!!"

Jude jerks awake like someone poured ice water on him.

He sees the mirror wrecked, and Ereth's floating head just hovering there, pissed off and creepy as hell.

"MY ROOM!" Jude yells, freaking out.

"YOU'RE DESTROYING MY ROOM NOW?!"

Ereth zooms right up to him—

"THUMP!"

And headbutts him so hard his nose goes full mashed potato mode.

"GURGHH!"

Jude grabs his face, groaning: "My nose...

You broke my freaking NOSE!!"

Ereth backs up, shrugs, and goes: "Oops... my bad.

Here lemme fix it."

"Shllrrrkkk..."

Black goo oozes from Jude's pores, wraps around his nose, and snap—perfectly healed.

Jude smiles.

BIG mistake.

Ereth goes: "So I can BREAK IT AGAIN!"

"THUMP!"

Second headbutt. Same spot. Nose go crunchy time.

Jude grabs his face again: "I'm gonna KILL you, you freakin' parasite!!"

Ereth just laughs, full-on mocking: "Oh no!

I'm sooo scared!

MOMMY, HELP!"

Then he freezes, gets real smug: "Oh wait...

You ain't got a mommy either!

HAHAHAH_!"

BOOM.

Time just stops.

Jude's veins pop.

His fist clenches.

He steps forward. Slowly.

Ereth's too busy clownin' around: "By the Dark Gods, someone save me from this squirre—"

"THWACK!"

Jude punches him square in the mouth.

"TINK-TINK-TINK!"

Fangs hit the floor like evil chicklets.

Ereth stumbles back, blood drooling: "You… broke… my beautiful FANGS…!"

Jude glares at him, walking forward: "Yeah. And next time? I'll break YOU."

Ereth chuckles, leans in, whispers: "Do it, but I—" "SNKT!" regenerate

New fangs POP out like a switchblade from a cat's paw—meaner, sharper.

Jude deadpans, shoves his head aside: "Don't care.

I'll just keep breakin' 'em.

Now BACK OFF."

Ereth squints at him with one eye, real slick-like:

"I wish I could back off and leave your dumb ass...

But in case you forgot, squirrel-boy...

We're fused.

One body, one soul, one nightmare.

You and me? We stuck tighter than a rat in a soda can."

Then under his breath, real low but full of sarcasm:

"And I was totally lyin' about that 'favorite host' thing…

Wink wink."

Jude slams his fist on the desk, clearly at the end of his rope:

"Why me?! Outta all the people in this goddamn city…

Why did I get fused with a demonic parasite with anger issues and a drama kink?!

WHY did I decide to clean that cursed ass book?!

Why not just be filthy?!

DIRT'S FREE, MAN!!"

Ereth-Kaal floats in close like he about to drop a diss track:

"You think too loud.

It's annoying."

Jude spins around, losing it:

"So WHAT?!

Gonna give you a headache or somethin'?

You hear every freakin' thought in my skull anyway!

Why you whining NOW?!"

Ereth-Kaal lifts one tentacle, points at the door with a smirk: "Your landlord, Roy, is walkin' up the stairs.

And guess what?

He's mad.

Real mad.

You owe rent.

Like, again.

Told him you'd pay in a week. It's been three days. He ain't buyin' it no more."

Jude turns toward the door in denial: "No he's not.

You're bluffing.

Mr. Roy wouldn't—"

Ereth-Kaal cuts him off, already counting on tentacle-fingers:

"Aight, watch this. Countdown time:

Five...

Four...

Three...

Two—"

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Door gets beat like a damn war drum.

Ereth just tilts his head, smug as hell:

"Huh.

Guess I shoulda started from four.

Anyway… told ya."

Jude spins in circles, grabs Ereth's floating head and hisses:

"Yo, nasty-ass leech! Get back inside before Mr. Roy sees you!!"

Ereth glares:

"Leech?!

Say sorry right now or I'll eat Roy's soul like it's fried chicken!"

"OKAY OKAY—SORRY!!

Just—just hide, man! Please!"**

Ereth-Kaal gives him a cheesy evil grin and slides back into Jude's body like a cursed USB stick.

Inside, his voice echoes:

"But just so you know...

Tonight, past midnight?

I'm eatin'.

Don't worry—your dumb little moral code stays.

No innocents. No kids. No ladies.

Only scumbags."

Jude sighs, walks to the door with that 'I'm-too-broke-for-this' energy:

"Fine…

You're the boss…

Just don't blow our cover, you demonic troll!"

Ereth chuckles in his mind:

"Fair enough."

Jude takes a deep breath, opens the door slowly…

SLAM!

Mr. Roy storms in like a pissed-off rhino: "JUDE!!

Not only are you late on rent AGAIN, but you're up here makin' noise on my damn day off?!"

Jude panics: "Wait wait—I was just—!"

Roy cuts him off, deadly calm but 100% threatening:

"Swear to God, kid…

One more noise complaint, and you're outta here. You hear me?"

Jude gulps:

"Yes sir, Mr. Roy…

But quick question?"

Roy sighs like he already regrets asking:

"What now?"

Jude points at his face:

"Where's your glasses?

Aren't you, like, blind without 'em?"

Roy rubs his temple: "Yeah…

Woke up, couldn't find 'em.

I'll grab another pair later.

Till then, I want my rent.

TODAY.

Capisce?"

Jude raises his hands in surrender: "Okay, okay!

Sheesh!

You get scary about money!"

Roy turns back to leave: "Damn right I do."

CLUNK!

Door shuts. Doom fades… for now.

Then—POOF!

Ereth's head pops back out Jude's back like a demonic jack-in-the-box.

He's already dying laughing: "Pffffft...

HAHAHAHA!

Yo, Lady of Shadows help me...

YOU SWEAT LIKE A DAMN WATERFALL!"

He floats around wheezing and snorting like a goblin who just watched a telenovela.

Then his tone shifts.

Real calm.

Real... suspicious.

"Hey, Jude...

You want easy money?"

Jude raises a brow:

"What're you talkin' about?

We robbin' a bank or something?"

Ereth turns to an invisible camera like he's breakin' the fourth wall on a sitcom:

"Nah...

Even easier."

---

😏 TO BE CONTINUED.

What's Ereth planning?

Are they really gonna rob someone?

Or worse...?

Next time, on "Squirrel vs Demon: Roommate from Hell" 🔥🖤