“What’s with the look? I know that it’s gonna hurt falling into pintrees bu–” before I could finish my sentence something wet hit my head then my entire body was being pulled in similar to a whirlpool

And so my view got dark and all fell black.

I couldn’t breathe, I held my breath for as long as I could and swam up. The water was eerily still, no matter how much I kicked and waved my arms. I couldn't feel the waves that follow after, what makes it worse is the severe lack of light as if the moon that was once there suddenly vanished out of thin air.

At this point I don’t know what direction I am headed to. Up? Down? Left? Right? My sense of direction is now numb. Everything else became irrational 

I could already feel my lungs dying and my heart beating erratically, despite my struggles I still continued to swim in the direction I believe that’s up.

I was about to faint, I already felt my eyes closing; my body was cold and lethargic.

‘It feels cold… it’s nice.. Maybe I should…’

I snapped myself out of it and continued

‘I’m not giving up! Not until I see my sister!’

Then I saw a flash of light and swam towards it. At last I was at the surface, I wheezed out so much air and breathed in as much I could, I felt relieved at the touch of cold and rough dirt. I help myself up and lay down.

After a few minutes of resting, I stood up and looked around the area, I also checked myself, and it turns out the moment I got out of the water I was immediately dry, not even a single drop of water on me.

‘That’s convenient?..’ I thought

I continued my observation around me, Infront was a forest of dead trees; dry yet sturdy, there were no leaves hanging from its branches, there were some bushes with leaves but most of them consisted of either bugs or thorns inside. Behind me was obviously the scary water I almost drowned in. Now that I got a better look, it was vast and wide, in short it was an endless ocean.

I got goosebumps just by thinking about it so I moved on.

‘This place looks like god abandoned all hope and left it to die’ As concerned as I was on where I am, I was more focused on walking ahead and getting some clues on where to find my sister.

Sounds of rustling bushes were heard, I quickly looked around, there was nothing. The dead trees aren’t gathered close together so it would be hard to hide behind them. And the bushes would have thorns inside

‘I might be facing up against a monster that lives in these woods… dammit I don’t have anything on me’

I grip my flashlight tighter on my hand, ready to fight against whatever that will come out if necessary. The silence was too loud, it became unbearable so I got nervous

‘C’mon come out already! And fight me like a man!’

I flinched.

It suddenly appeared behind me, I felt sharp claws digging into my blue shirt, I could feel its eyes drilling into my skull. I tried to resist until its voice crept up to my ear. 

“Woooo~~ I’m a scary ghost coming to haunt yoouuuu~~” it said followed by a giggle

“Huh?? What..?” It left me confused, I turned to look at it

There I saw a girl who was as tall as me, wearing a blue sleeveless short dress with a dark blue ribbon wrapped around her hips. Her short hair was the color of dark orange, and her eyes were golden like a cat’s.

‘Wait… A cat?’ I took a second look on her head

“Hello there! I was passing by, sorry if I scared you” She said

There was no mistaking it…

“Y-you have cat ears… and a tail!” I pointed them out in shock

“Uh.. Yeah weirdo, it’s my curse”

“Curse? Wait before that, where am I?” 

“Hm? You don’t know? You’re in Secrund duh” she crosses her arms and tilts her head, looking at me as if I’m a dunce

“Well… I’m new here.” I told her

She looked at me in surprise, then immediately attached her hands onto mine

“You’re new here to Secrund!? We haven’t gotten anyone new in… uhm.. A long time!” 

“Welcome! Welcome!” She shook my hands up and down very aggressively, I almost puked

“Augh.. Please stop” I forcefully free myself and cover my mouth

“Oh I’m sorry I can’t myself if I get too excited” She lowers her head and her ears bow down. After that she formally introduces herself

“My name is Reelthrine, my curse is called Feles, Nice to meet you!” She eagerly hands out her hand to greet me with a big smile, I could see two sharp teeth and her tail waving.

‘She really has cat-like features’ I was still uncomfortable with the fact there’s a cat girl in front of me. Is this the catch I get from that smiley face demon? I expected it would be falling to my doom but this is just bizarre.

“Uh.. The name’s Sentrik Anwir and can I ask what you mean by curse?”  I ignore the death trap handshake and moved on

Her ears perked up

“Well since you are new, you must be very confused. Right now you are in Secrund also known as the land of Accursed, all of the people here have curses. Including you” she slightly lowered her torso and pointed at me while grinning.

“Can you say it again..?” I became more confused on to what she meant

She sighs in disappointment “You don’t get it do you? Curses are like my cat-like features, some are different but it’s still a curse. And for me I only get to eat roaches are mice, I can’t eat human food and yes it taste awful”

“Ah. I got the idea now, this place is basically hell.” I said

She looked at me with her ears slightly down. “Yeah basically hell, but how about you?”

“Me? What about me?”

“Your curse! I’m asking what it is??” Reelthrine crosses her arms at me again

“How should I know? I just got here” I caressed my nape, I literally had no idea and if I did have a curse I rather not have one that prevents me from finding my sister, if I do, I’ll die a sinner. 

Silence then occupied the conversation, it became awkward enough for me to sweat nervously, I’ve never properly talked with anyone outside my house so I get anxious whenever I do.

“...”

“.....”

“.........”

“Are you actually for real…?” She asked

“Yes…” I replied

“Are you sure? Maybe you forgot, that’s common for newcomers” Reelthrine walks closer towards me, she proceeds to stare everywhere as I stand still.

‘Seeing her up close, she’s not a domestic cat but a tiger, I could see vague black stripes on her hair, she also smells nice..’

‘Nice? What the hell am I thinking?!’ I focus myself on what’s happening right now. She could easily tear me off if I do anything weird

Reelthrine stops then puts her hands around her hips and faces me.

“Hmm… I don’t see anything out of the ordinary…” She said

She then touches her chin to think

“That’s quite rare to see, most of Accursed have something on their body that sticks out, like mine” her tail playfully waves

“Didn't a tall dark figure with a smiley face gave you a curse and tell you its name?” She continued

The word ‘smiley face’ immediately caught my attention. I recollected on what happened but the last thing I ever heard from it, was the information about my older sister

“Yeah, it did talk but..” I said

“Oh! Then what is it??” Reelthrine asked

“The thing is.. It never said anything” I awkwardly caressed my nape again

“Huh??” she became confused

“It never said what curse I have, it just smiled at me”

“S-smiled??” she was utterly dumbfounded to what I said, she walked around a bit confused then with an “ah-ha!” She grabbed my hand and dragged me.

I tried to break free but she had me on a death grip, I was afraid of telling her to let me go with the possibility of killing me so I let myself get taken away by the tiger.

“Let’s talk about this to uncle!!”

“Uncle?” I asked but she ran fast and she didn't hear me at all

This went on for what I felt like half an hour

‘Where the hell are you taking me?!?!’ I silently screamed hoping this would end quickly