9 Chapter 8: Deck the halls with Nuts...

Grim, his appetite sated, wandered through the familiar streets of his old neighbourhood.

Passing by those who had succumbed to the night's excesses, he recognized some faces – the homeless who had long claimed these streets as their own – and noted new ones, silently speculating on the fate of the missing ones.

'They either moved to a different location or probably worse...'

He arrived at a familiar apartment building, but instead of entering through the front, he veered into an alley and scaled the fire escape to his old window.

Expecting to find a room in disarray, Grim was surprised to see it transformed with expensive furnishings and high-tech gadgets, the room crisscrossed with laser security.

"I guess it's not surprising my room's been taken over, but whoever's living here must be loaded," Grim mused with a sigh. "So much for using my old place as a crash pad. Maybe sleeping outside will finally do me in with hypothermia."

Lost in thought about his predicament, Grim's attention was suddenly drawn to a whispered curse from above.

Shifting his gaze, he watched a teenage boy with a buzz cut and a mohawk, adorned with multiple piercings, sneak out of a window higher up on the fire escape.

"Stupid old Bitch, trying to lock me up. Who does she think she is?" the boy grumbled, manoeuvring carefully down the ladder.

But his escape was short-lived as he tripped over a broken wire, causing the rusty railing to give way beneath him.

As he fell, panic set in, his hands grasping futilely for something to hold onto.

Just as he braced for the impact, he felt a sudden jolt – an arm had reached out, grabbing his shirt and halting his fall.

"I see you're still as worthless as ever Cheng..." Grim's voice was dry, tinged with a familiar sarcasm.

Cheng's eyes widened in disbelief.' Huh, cheng, no one's ever called me that except...'

"Grim?..." he uttered, recognizing the voice of someone he believed to be long gone.

There they were, suspended in a moment of shock and recognition.

Grim, holding onto Cheng with an unyielding grip, and Cheng, dangling precariously, his life literally hanging in the balance.

The air around them was thick with questions and disbelief. How had Grim returned?

Cheng was visibly shaken. "You can't be... You were dead," he stammered, his voice a mix of disbelief and confusion.

Grim, unflinchingly steady, replied, "Did you ever see my body, Cheng?"

Silence hung in the air. Cheng knew that no one had seen Grim's body, because no one had gone to his funeral" You faked your death... Why? And could you, um, pull me up?"

Grim, after a moment's pause, hoisted Cheng up and tossed him onto the escape platform. "You've changed...Grim. I remember when you used to avoid me like the plague," Cheng noted, observing a newfound boldness in Grim's demeanour.

Cheng quickly regained his composure. "So, the great Grim faked his own death. I'm curious why you'd bother coming back to this hellhole of a city."

Ignoring the question, Grim began descending the fire escape.

Cheng, still trying to process the encounter, followed. "Hey, where are you going? What's it like being 'dead'? Must be quite the escape."

As they reached Grim's old apartment, Grin paused and Cheng gestured towards the graffiti-covered walls. "This was my doing. Thought I'd spruce up your old place. Sorry about the mess."

Grim glanced at the walls. "What graffiti are you talking about?"

"That's Fat Ho's work over there, not mine. And those yellow stains? Sorry, Kit had an accident," Cheng explained, trying to provoke a reaction from Grim.

Grim responded calmly, "You shouldn't talk about your mother, she's a good woman, one that's looking out for you."

Cheng's frustration flared. "Don't preach to me like your better than me, I'll speak however I like to that old bitch, and unlike her, I'm actually making something of myself now."

Grim shot back, "Still Mr. Kai Fo's lapdog, I see. Some things never change."

Cheng fumed as Grim turned away, giving the room a final, indifferent glance before disappearing into the night.

Alone now, Cheng punched the window in anger, only to regret it as pain shot through his hand.

Nursing his bruised fist, he took out his phone and dialled a familiar number. "Boss, I'm on my way. But listen, you won't believe who's back from the dead..."

...

Grim meandered through the quiet streets, Cheng's words echoing in his mind.

The difference in views regarding his old apartment puzzled him, but he chose to set aside that mystery for the moment. His immediate concern now was finding a place to rest for the night.

Surveying his surroundings, Grim spotted a pile of trash that seemed as good a place as any to settle down.

Although he had come to realize that sleep wasn't a necessity in his new undead state, he still found some comfort in the familiarity of lying down and closing his eyes.

With a resigned shrug, Grim let his body fall onto the trash heap, adjusting himself amidst the debris to find a somewhat comfortable position.

He closed his eyes, ready to embrace the temporary escape that sleep offered.

However, his moment of tranquillity was short-lived.

A sudden sensation on his forehead prompted him to reach up and touch it, only to discover it was squirrel droppings.

Looking up, he saw a cheeky squirrel perched above him. The creature seemed almost cartoonishly expressive, sticking out its tongue in a taunting gesture before scampering away.

Grim let out a weary sigh, wiping the mess from his forehead. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of amusement at the squirrel's antics.

Settling back into his makeshift bed, Grim finally allowed himself to drift off to sleep, his mind momentarily free from the burdens of his undead existence.

As he slept among the refuse of the city, the night continued on around him, the world oblivious to the man who had returned from the grave.

.....

(Time skip: One week later...)

A week had swiftly passed, and Levy Park was alive with the buzz of life.

People were rollerblading along the smooth pathways, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

Dog owners strolled along, their pets eagerly sniffing at every tree and patch of grass.

Couples walked hand in hand, sharing whispers and smiles, basking in the warmth of the sun.

In one corner, a young couple bantered playfully. "If you were a vegetable, you'd be a cute-cumber!" the man joked, eliciting a giggle from his partner.

[ALERT: CRINGE METER OVER 9000]

Nearby, an older gentleman read aloud to his grandchild, "And then the brave knight vanquished the dragon, saving the kingdom..." The child listened, wide-eyed and captivated.

On a park bench, a man in black attire slept, an anomaly in the sunny, bustling park.

His peaceful slumber attracted the attention of a small, mischievous squirrel adorned with a purple scarf.

Quietly approaching, the squirrel poked the man with a tiny nail. Confirming the man's deep sleep, it chuckled and began tickling his nose with its tail.

The man, irritated, swatted at the annoyance in his sleep, but the persistent squirrel continued its playful torment.

Eventually, the squirrel's laughter crescendoed as it danced atop the man's chest.

Suddenly, Grim woke up with a start, startling the squirrel with a booming "Boo!"

It was Grim, and he immediately recognized the squirrel as the one who had left an unwanted gift on him days ago.

As the squirrel tried to escape, Grim grasped it gently. The squirrel squealed in panic, but Grim regarded it with an unamused expression, "Really, I haven't even done anything...yet."

Their encounter was interrupted by the sound of rapid footsteps.

A girl, no older than a teenager, leapt towards Grim with a powerful sidekick.

"Don't hurt Monkey Joe! Let him go, you bully!" she shouted, only to be caught mid-air by Grim, her foot firmly in his grasp.

Grim effortlessly twirled her down, ending up with the girl seated sideways on his lap. She blushed, momentarily caught off guard.

"Whoa, slow down, cowboy. I usually wait for the 20th date before getting this close."

Shaking off her initial embarrassment, she demanded, "It doesn't matter how cute you are, let go of my friend, or I'll make you regret it."

Grim sighed still holding her waist and handed Monkey Joe back to her. "I was only defending myself. Your friend decided to use my face for his amusement."

Doreen, the girl, glanced at Monkey Joe, who looked away guiltily. "Sigh, sorry about that. He's a bit of a prankster. And sorry for jumping to conclusions. I thought you were hurting him."

"It's fine. I wasn't really bothered," Grim replied, with no hint of emotion on his face.

Doreen introduced herself, "I'm Doreen Green. This little guy is Monkey Joe. And you are?"

"Grim. Grim Mortimer. It's a pleasure, Doreen Green," Grim responded, their eyes meeting in a moment of mutual curiosity.

.....

(Squirrel Girl Pic's)