Morning came with shaking hands and skin soaked in sweat.
Morpheus woke from a troubled dream—no, not troubled. Horrifying.
He stared at the colorless ceiling, the images clinging to him even while awake.
In the dream, he stood in the doorway of his own room, frozen. On his bed lay his ex-girlfriend, naked, tangled with another man—a man he hated more than anyone.
Her moans filled the room. She looked at him and smiled, a terrifying, twisted smile.
"Why don't you join us, love?" she said softly.
Then she laughed.
"Oh—right. You're not man enough to even show your body, are you?"
"Why?" Morpheus asked, his voice hollow.
"Why, Alice?"
Her smile faded into a bitter frown. She shoved the man off her and walked toward Morpheus.
She touched his shoulders, intimate, invasive.
"You're asking why I cheated on you with Alex?" she said. "The guy who bullied you years ago?"
She tilted her head. "Or why I'm not ashamed at all?"
Morpheus stayed silent, sweat dripping onto the floor.
Alice chuckled.
"What's wrong with you?" she mocked.
"Did the cat eat your tongue?"
His knees buckled. He collapsed onto the cold floor, his hand brushing against Alice's discarded underwear.
When he looked at it—soaked—his stomach turned. He vomited, tears spilling freely.
He looked up at her. Disgust filled her eyes. She knelt in front of him.
"Why?" he asked again.
Her voice was quiet. Full of hatred.
"Because you're not a man, Morpheus," she said.
"I never loved you. Not for a second. I just used you."
His heart pounded faster.
Alex stood beside her, smirking.
"I feel sorry for you," he said.
The dream ended there. Or maybe it didn't—Morpheus couldn't remember. He didn't want to.
He blinked, shifting his gaze from the ceiling to the red blanket on his bed.
It was colorless.
His heart raced. He tried to calm himself.
Maybe my eyes are just dirty, he thought.
He raised his hand to rub his left eye.
His hand wasn't there.
A cat's paw was.
And his body—something else was missing too.
Morpheus laughed weakly, panic creeping in.
I'm still dreaming, he told himself, closing his eyes.
Then his mother's voice cut through the room.
"Morpheus! Get up this instant!"
He tried to answer—but what came out was a frustrated, animal moan.
"There's no way…" he thought.
He kicked the blanket away.
White fur covered him. His body was smaller—half its size. Cold. Wrong.
He tried to stand on two legs.
Instead, he stood on four.
I'm still dreaming… right?
He walked to the mirror.
A cat stared back.
White fur. Black eyes.
The door burst open.
His mother stood there, expecting her useless son to still be asleep.
"What was that vo—"
She froze.
She slipped off her sandal.
"That useless son of mine," she spat, "bringing animals into my house?"
I'm your son, he screamed silently. I'm not an animal!
She charged.
He leapt onto the bed. She stumbled, swearing.
"Maw!" he cried—unable to say what he meant.
"I'll kill both of you!" she shouted, clutching her knee. "The animal and my son!"
She grabbed him by the scruff and threw him outside.
"Don't worry," she said, slamming the door.
"My son will join you soon."
But I am your son, he thought.
Aren't I?
Walking on four legs, tail tucked low, was humiliating.
People looked down on him. He was used to that.
Cars nearly hit him. Dogs chased him.
He hid in a cardboard box, panting under the burning sun.
What is happening to me?
Another cat rushed in. Her tail was raised, stiff.
Her territory.
She growled.
Morpheus lowered his head and walked away.
Even animals get bullied, he thought.
Then he collided with something solid.
A fat kid.
"Watch where you're going, you stupid brat!"
The kid smiled and stepped closer.
Do I really have to run from a kid now?
The kid grabbed his tail.
Pain exploded through him.
Morpheus scratched back. The kid screamed, blood dripping from his hand.
"I hate kids," Morpheus thought—but the thought faded as he watched the boy cry.
Run… or apologize?
He chose wrong.
He lunged and headbutted the kid's knee.
The kid's face twisted with rage.
"Don't—don't—!" Morpheus thought.
The kick sent him flying.
"I should have run."
The kid wasn't done. He advanced, smiling darkly.
Have kids always been this terrifying?
Then a voice cut through the air.
"You brat!"
Morpheus's eyes widened.
"Alice?"
She stood there in pajamas, her dark blue hair glowing in the sunlight. Beautiful. Terrifying.
"Leave the cat alone," she said.
"But it scratched me!" the kid whined.
"Cats only attack when they're afraid," Alice said calmly, gripping his shoulder.
"You must have scared her."
Him, Morpheus thought. I'm not a woman.
The kid ran off.
Alice knelt and gently patted his head.
"You poor thing," she said softly.
"I'll take you home. You remind me of someone… pathetic."
Morpheus trembled.
This is hell, he thought.
It has to be.