Stuck in the thoughts of what I should do, a few loud knocks alert me to my front door. I get off the couch and walk towards the door and open it to see two shocking individuals standing side by side in front of my door.
If I had to describe them, they looked like two middle-aged men with matching crew cut hairstyles and similar dark suits. Honestly, they were very handsome with their broad muscular physiques and angular faces except there appeared to be something off about them. Their jaded expressions also seemed to alert me that they had very little patience with whatever they were doing.
“Excuse me, but we have come across information that you have come across an imp or as he prefers to be called, “Runt,” recently.” The man on the left says to me in a monotonous voice.
My first reaction is surprise, of course it would be odd to meet anyone who would know of Runt’s existence, however I was soon full of dread. Remembering how Runt had been on the run before, could these suited men be the people he was escaping from?
“Wait… are the two of you also from Hell?” I ask slightly joking but also with slight hint of fear.
“Yes, we’re both guards of a prison in Hell that have been ordered to recapture a prisoner.” The second man or demon responds.
Now I knew I was in deep shit. Obviously I knew where Runt was, and they also knew I had information on his location so I had no choice on the matter of confessing. The problem bothering me was would I get in trouble for helping hide Runt and using his powers to become Joel.
“He’s currently using a human identity in a nearby diner,” I confess. The demons look at one another before one holds out his hands and chants something in a foreign tongue. The other demon appears to be gesturing his hands in a weird manner.
Suddenly there’s a red flash of light and Runt in my form has been summoned in the hallway. He’s dressed in my work uniform and clearly looks confused momentarily before his expression changes to shock. The demon who was gesturing his hands releases them as a cage materializes around Runt and traps him inside.
During this entire ordeal I stand in my apartment completely at a loss of words. Since I’m in complete control of myself or Joel I don’t feel any bewilderment in the sudden events unfolding in front of me. But I do know that the results will surely not be happy for Runt or perhaps even myself.
Runt looks at me in between the cage bars with worry as he moves his head to look at the two demons. “Runt, you are hereby sentenced to another sentence for you transgression,” the demon who summoned the cage states, “Be prepared to be taken back to Hell with harsher punishments.”
“Wait!” Runt exclaims. “My form I need to return it.”
The demons look at him before asking him to explain. “I wanted to hide myself so I took another identity and placed his conscious in a nearby body,” Runt says in such a convincing manner I almost believe him myself. But I knew the truth so why was Runt lying?
“Very well. I assume this must be the man.” One demon says pointing at me. Runt nods his head as the demon stares back at me with his dark soulless eyes. I shiver and take a step back in fear. I look at Runt and notice the sorrow expression on my face. I then remember Runt’s promise from the day before on how he promised to protect me and to fix me by the end of his stay.
“We’ll fix him,” the demon says as he glares at Runt, “since this cage prohibits you from using any of your powers as you should already know.” The demon glances at me and touches me and just like before I see a flash of red light before everything goes black. The sensation feels similar as to when Runt did it only I could tell something was slightly off.
As I begin to gain consciousness again and open my eyes to see them looking straight at the ceiling of Joel’s apartment, I realize I’m laying on the ground again. I quickly lift my upper body up hoping to see the demons but the hallway is empty. Runt, the cage, the demons…. Everything was gone.
I lift my hand and scratch my head in distress only to feel an odd sensation. My hair felt weird, a bit too short, in fact my arm felt weird as well. A lot heavier that I remember. Perhaps being in Joel’s body for a while had made me forget how my original body had felt? Unfortunately, my answer awaits me as I take notice of a body lying next to me. It’s … Me!!!
My original body still in my work uniform is laying down on Joel’s apartment floor surrounded by some old beer cans with a strained expression. I look at my body in disbelief as I recognize the familiar hairy and muscular forearm I have. The silver watch strapped on my arm confirms my beliefs: I’M STILL STUCK IN JOEL’S BODY!