It was a perfectly boring Tuesday… until Mr. Whiskers, my cat, decided to audition for a magic show by knocking over a glowing book on my desk.
I blinked, rubbed my eyes, and yep—definitely not my room anymore.
The sky was lavender with streaks of gold, drifting like spilled paint. The air smelled faintly of cinnamon and wet grass. I sneezed. "Uh… did I just step into a painting? Or a really weird anime?"
From behind a twisted tree, a pair of piercing eyes glared at me. "Who are you?" a grumpy voice demanded.
"Uh… new here?" I said, holding my hands up. "Totally new. Don't eat me?"
The grumpy one snorted. He didn't attack, but his lips twitched in what I thought was a very subtle smile. Maybe amused? I counted it as a win.
Then the rest of the cast appeared: some suspicious, one curious, and the annoyingly cheerful one who immediately bounced at me. "Finally! A new friend! Don't run!"
"Uh… I wasn't planning to!" I said, arms flailing, as they tackled me in a hug. Weirdly, it felt… comforting.
A cold breeze brushed past—the shadow I'd glimpsed earlier seemed near. My heart raced. But then I shivered—a cold shadow flickered far off. (What's going to happen next?)