⸝⸝ 𓃦 ABBY ANDERSON ⋮

Life as an out-of-town college student had never exactly been comfortable for Abby. If anything, the only thing she liked was living relatively on her own.

Of course, Manny would often decide to crash at her place, leaving behind more chip wrappers than Abby could count. All her friends technically lived in the same building—Owen and Mel in a shared apartment downstairs, and Manny and Nora on the floors above. It was the average teenager's dream: living in the same building as your best friends.

Yet, Abby still felt lonely.

Society had sunk to a new low for many—though for others, it represented innovation.

When the first sightings occurred of people born with animal-like features—such as furry ears and long tails—it immediately piqued the interest of professionals.

It didn't take long for this species—dubbed "semi-humans"—to be looked down upon. They appeared normal, but when least expected, they could shift into something that seemed far wilder than a mere human.

To some, they were precious beings to be cherished—a miracle brought by God. To others, they were a threat to be studied, experimented upon, and ultimately eliminated.

And perhaps they had a point—were they a threat? Yes; the fact that they exhibited wild, animalistic behaviors meant one had to be wary when they walked the streets.

But to Abby, it seemed inhumane—something not to be taken lightly. After all, they were just as much people as anyone else—thinking, feeling beings. And while animals possess those traits too, a species incapable of speech was often viewed merely as an object for others to claim as their own.

Ultimately, society was becoming less human and less empathetic by the day.

Nowadays, it was rare to see semi-humans walking freely in the streets; many mothers preferred to keep their children hidden until they could control their transformations and avoid sporting ears and a tail while in human form. The reason? Many semi-humans ended up being locked away for experimentation—whether to study their DNA or simply to use them as test subjects for human products—while others were sold to wealthy families for servitude or relentless labor; in the worst cases, they met their deaths, sharing the same fate as most animals in the world.

Little was known about them in the present day; all that was certain was that some could pass unnoticed—appearing like an ordinary dog ​​or house cat—while others resembled common wild animals. They were also known to exhibit erratic behavior or, in some instances, retain animal limbs despite possessing a human appearance.

Abby had always found them fascinating; the only time she had ever seen a semi-human was when she was very young, and now, there was nothing.

And as fate would have it—or perhaps because the universe intended for Abby to be there—she found her.

One day, while returning from the university gym, she was caught in a nasty turn of weather; the night was filled with rain and thunderclaps loud enough to make even her jump. As she jogged through the streets toward her apartment, she heard the sound of several boxes tumbling onto the wet pavement inside an alleyway.

It wasn't the noise that caught Abby’s attention, though; it was the fact that one of the boxes seemed to have a life of its own—shifting and dripping.

Abby couldn't help but step into the alley to investigate the boxes; just as the "living" box seemed poised to escape, it bumped right into her shoes.

She picked up the box and pried open its sodden sides.

To her surprise, she found a furry, soaked, and injured animal inside.

And what initially seemed like the prospect of a new pet and a source of companionship turned out to be something far more extraordinary.

At first, things were cozy enough: rainy days spent running her fingers through the animal's fur, nights sleeping with a small, warm bundle tucked between the sheets when it was cold. She had even bought a red collar—costing a mere three dollars—though she hadn't yet settled on a name.

But a few weeks later, things started happening while she was away.

Manny claimed her apartment was haunted—even suggesting poor Abby had been cursed—but that was far from the truth.

Missing food, open windows and doors, the TV on when she’d left it off—these were things she definitely hadn't done.

Maybe exam stress was making her forgetful, or—in a worst-case scenario—someone had been entering her home without permission.

The latter seemed more plausible after Owen mentioned hearing footsteps and the sound of chairs dragging across the ceiling—right above the apartment he shared with Mel.

Now, she found it hard to sleep, knowing someone might be breaking into her place. At least she had her pet for comfort.

Then, one afternoon—thanks to a twist of fate—Abby left campus early. She headed home, lost in thought, and just as she was about to enter the apartment, she heard the sound of wrappers rustling inside.

So, there it was.

She didn't wait to call the police; whoever it was, she could handle them—all those hours at the gym wouldn't go to waste.

She threw the door open, ready to lash out at whoever was inside her home, but then she saw her.

That girl. She had never seen her before in her life, yet she looked so familiar.

Eyes that seemed similar, though she couldn't recall where she’d seen them.

Until she spotted the collar around the girl's neck. A pet collar.

The very same collar she had put on her own pet.

"What the fuck...?"

The words escaped her lips; her backpack nearly slid off her shoulder as she stood frozen in the doorway.