THE CURSED PET SHOP 🛍️

The bell above the door jingled softly as I walked into the pet shop. My friends always teased me about my odd interest in strange creatures, but nothing could've prepared me for what I found in the dim aisles of Charming Companions. The air smelled of wet wood and something sweet—like too many lives had come and gone under those flickering lights.

I wandered deeper into the shop, where rows of glass cages held animals I'd never seen before—birds with feathers like rainbows, reptiles that gleamed like polished stones, and odd little rodents with eyes too big for their heads, following my every move. But it was the last cage that grabbed my attention. Inside, a sleek, cat-like creature with fur as dark as night sat staring at me, its eyes glowing orange, almost hypnotic.

"What is that?" I asked, barely above a whisper.

The shopkeeper appeared from the shadows. He was a thin man with sharp features and a grin that didn’t sit quite right. “Ah, that's a Catrithen. Rare, and… special. They bond deeply with their owners. Become very protective.”

“Protective?” I repeated, my voice thick with both curiosity and something else I couldn’t name.

“Yes,” he said, his smile stretching wider. “But be careful. It thrives on connection, and loyalty comes with a cost.”

I felt a chill run up my spine, but I couldn’t look away from the creature. It was like it was pulling me in, calling me. Ignoring the warning, I reached out, letting my fingers brush against the cold glass. The Catrithen leaned in, purring softly, almost like a whisper in my ear.

The next thing I knew, I was home. The creature was curled in my lap, its warmth seeping through me. I named it Nisha, and a bond formed instantly, filling the empty spaces inside me.

But after a few weeks, things started to feel… off. Shadows shifted in the corners of my eyes, and the air got thick at night, like something was pressing in. At first, I figured it was just my imagination, but then I noticed strange marks on my skin—faint but unsettling—like silky trails crisscrossing my arms.

Nisha was always there, her eyes never leaving me. If I seemed upset, she'd hiss and arch her back, as though telling me no one but her could comfort me.

One night, while scrolling through my phone, I found a forum talking about Catrithens. The posts sounded eerily familiar—vanishing friends, weird happenings, strange cries in the night.

Then, I came across the last thread: “If you don’t make the right choice, the bond may turn sour. They don’t just protect—they can consume.”

A wave of dread hit me. That night, Nisha’s behavior took a darker turn. She growled at every little sound, her eyes glowing in the dark. My dreams twisted into nightmares, and I woke up to scratches on my arms—like Nisha was trying to warn me.

I finally went back to the shop, desperate for answers. The shopkeeper was almost pleased to see me. Under the harsh lights, his eyes glinted like a predator’s.

“You have to choose,” he said, his voice smooth. “Let it go, and risk your life… or bind yourself to it completely.”

I spent the whole night trying to figure out what to do, but the bond was strong. I rushed home, heart racing, and when I walked through the door, the air felt heavy, charged. Nisha was waiting in the dark, her glow casting eerie shadows on the walls.

“Choose,” I whispered, knowing deep down there was no way to undo what I'd already done.

The growl rumbled through me as she stepped closer, and I felt the walls close in around me, just like the forum had warned. Then, a crash came from the kitchen, and my instincts made me turn to look.

When I turned back, Nisha was gone. A voice whispered behind me, cold and cruel: “You should have chosen better…”

The darkness closed in, swallowing me whole, taking me to a place I could never escape—where shadows held secrets I’d never uncover.