Henry strolled into the pet shop that afternoon, his confidence soaring after his exchange with Maddie earlier in the day. The morning with Jeff—now Kain—complaining in his snake form had left him annoyed but also sparked an idea. If he’s going to be all grumpy and miserable, maybe he just needs a distraction. Some company.
After a quick chat with the shop owner, Henry walked out with a borrowed female king snake, housed in a small, ventilated carrier. “This should keep him busy,” Henry muttered to himself, grinning.
Back in Jeff’s—no, his—room, Henry set the carrier down next to the terrarium and opened it. The female snake slithered out lazily, its sleek black and white scales shimmering in the light.
Kain, curled in the corner of his glass prison, flicked his tongue as he watched the newcomer. His slit-like eyes narrowed.
“What the hell is this?” Jeff hissed angrily.
Henry laughed, ignoring him as he opened the Chronivac app and navigated to the Communication Enhancements settings. “You’re always complaining, Kain. Maybe you just need a little privacy. Let me fix that.”
Before Jeff could react, Henry deactivated Jeff’s ability to talk, leaving him stuck with only hisses once again. Jeff thrashed in frustration, banging his tail against the glass, but Henry was already sliding the female snake into the terrarium.
“There you go,” Henry said with a smirk. “A lady to keep you busy while I go hang out with Maddie and have my fun. Fair’s fair, right?”
The female snake slithered closer to Jeff, flicking her tongue curiously. Jeff backed away, glaring at Henry with all the venom a snake could muster.
“Don’t give me that look,” Henry said, tapping the glass lightly. “She’s gorgeous! You should be thanking me.” He grabbed his phone and keys, turning toward the door. “Alright, have fun, you two. I’ll be out with Maddie.”
Jeff hissed furiously, his coils tightening as the female snake nudged closer. Henry laughed to himself as he left, shutting the door behind him.
Inside the terrarium, Jeff seethed, his anger boiling over. He glanced at the female snake, who seemed entirely unbothered by his outrage, then back at the closed door.
This isn’t fair! He gets my life, my girlfriend, and I’m stuck in here with a snake I didn’t ask for!
The female snake curled up near him, her tongue flicking lazily in the air. Jeff sighed, realizing there was nothing he could do for now. Thirteen days felt like an eternity, and with Henry seemingly getting more comfortable in his stolen role, Jeff couldn’t help but feel like his life was slipping further away.
But he wasn’t giving up. Not yet.