What Are The Squill?
The Squill [skwɪl] is a species of small, malevolent cryptid found in man-made, populated spaces. They live in the small crevices, corners, and vents of buildings and disrupt the goings-on of said building’s inhabitants.
Not much is known about their range; they have been observed in various locations in the American northeast, although they are likely capable of living anywhere humans are found, as they appear to have a sort of symbiotic or parasitic relationship with people. It is unknown if the Squill are comfortable with or even capable of living outside in the wild.
The Squill are approximately 6.4 cm long, with 2 legs and 2 arms that generally appear around 5 cm long. They seem to prefer crawling on all 4 limbs, although they have displayed an ability to become bipedal and even possess opposable thumbs. It is unclear what their diet is, or if they need to eat, or if they even have mouths. But the most notable feature of the Squill is their cartoonish physique. They always appear as 2 dimensional curved shapes, somewhat akin to a misshapen bean or bowling pin, with a hard colored outline around their body and eyes and 4 spindly lines for legs. I have no idea how this is possible. They have also been noted to adapt their appearance to their surroundings. Squill in living quarters or dormitories have been seen to adopt designs mimicking comfortable loungewear, and one Squill inhabiting a library was seen sporting round cartoon glasses. How they do this is as confounding as their biology, and why they do this is still unknown, as they avoid being seen at all costs. If spotted, a Squill will immediately dart into a heating unit, electrical outlet, wall trim, or other crevice inaccessible to larger, 3 dimensional animals.
While they do not seem to eat, the Squill thrive on creating chaos. They are not violent creatures (fitting, due to their dependence on humans), and they avoid directly interacting with people. They can cause harm in other ways, however. The Squill have been known to stop elevators, break automatic door buttons, and even invite infestations of insects inside. One particularly ballsy Squill was reported to go so far as to shut down the water to an entire college campus for a weekend, although the Squill's hand in this event remains unconfirmed. Most Squill are generally content with minor mischief making. They steal everything, from pencils and socks to keys and small snacks. They will tear down poorly-hung posters, detune instruments, tangle skeins of yarns, tie electrical cords together, and hide small board game pieces. If something in a room can go wrong, a Squill will love nothing more than to make it go wrong.
The Squill appear to be deeply territorial creatures. No two Squill have ever been seen in the same place together, and in fact no building has ever been observed to house more than one Squill at a time. Once, a new Squill was spotted sneaking along a windowsill in a building that already seemed to be home to one Squill, with a tiny cartoon bindle slung over the closest thing the Squill have to shoulders. It has not been sighted there since.
Much is still unknown about these cryptids, from their origins to their evolution to even their diet. Hopefully, with time and research, the mysteries of the Squill can be uncovered.