It was another ordinary day for the Smiling Critters. Hoppy Hopscotch arrived with Kickin Chicken, followed by Bobby BearHug, Bubba Bubbaphant, Picky Piggy, and CraftyCorn, and they were waiting for Dogday and CatNap to get to Laurel Hills School.
CatNap's POV
I woke up, and looked around my room. It didn't look familiar to me. It was purple, carpeted, full of cat toys, but the rest of it looked like a bedroom. I looked at my hands, but saw dark purple cat paws. Freaked out, I went to find a mirror, and saw my reflection.
I screamed.
Dogday's POV
I was walking up to CatNaps door, and I heard a scream from inside.
"CatNap! Are you okay?!" I shouted to CatNap. No response. I opened the door. The living room was the same as it always had been. I searched his house. The kitchen was also the same. His bedroom was as if someone was panicking. I heard whimpering from the bathroom. I looked and found CatNap, hiding in a corner, puffed up, and scared.
He got even more scared by my appearance.
CatNap's POV
Who's this dog?! WHAT DOES HE WANT FROM ME?!
"CatNap! You worried me for a moment…". the dog said.
WHO IS CATNAP?!
"You didn't respond, so I thought something happened to you. Are you ok?". The dog said. Looking closer, it was colored like the sun, and had a sun necklace on. No dog could be colored that way naturally.
"WHO ARE YOU?!" I shouted, and the dog looked at me, as if I hurt its feelings.
Dogday's POV
CatNap doesn't remember me? Something is wrong…
"It's me, Dogday! Don't you remember me?" I said. CatNap didn't calm down.
"Come on, or we'll be late for school.".
CatNap's POV
SCHOOL?! THERE'S SCHOOL?!
Before I could react, the dog grabbed me, and dragged me out, and grabbed a backpack on the way out.
Hoppy's POV
Where's Dogday? I thought to myself. The others were here, so where was DogDay, and CatNap should've been here too. After a few minutes, the rest of the gang walked in, and I followed them in.
We arrived at Mr. Owl's class as the bell rang. We took our seats as class started.
"Welcome to class everyone. Today, we're doing testing, so I hope you studied.". Mr. Owl said as he passed out the tests, sat back down, and did roll call. Dogday and CatNap entered the room as it got to their names.
Dogday's POV
"There you two are…" Mr. Owl said as I got into the classroom, dragging CatNap behind me as I did.
"Sorry I'm late, but CatNap was being difficult and-".
"Sit down, and take the test." Mr. Owl said. I didn't argue, and I dragged CatNap to his desk, and I sat down at mine, took out my writing utensils, and started on the test.
CatNap's POV
I looked around, and finally noticed I was in a classroom. There were more animals, some colored naturally, and some not. I looked down, and saw a desk, with a test on it. I calmed down, and did the test.
5 minutes later, and I was finished with it. I got up, turned it in, and sat down again.
A timer ran out, and I noticed an owl stand up.
"Time's up everyone. Turn in the tests." the owl said, and the ones who didn't finish earlier stood up, and turned their tests in. One of those was a silver fox. She looked amazing. The owl took the tests, and put up the top six scores on the chalkboard:
CatNap-100%
Bubba Bubbaphant-99%
Sablemoon Duskwhisper-95%
Quill Feather-90%
Mathias-87%
Mushu-86%
I was stunned. Perfect score? The elephant was just as shocked at this, maybe even more than me. The bell rang, and everyone left, heading outside. I followed.
Bubba Bubbaphant's POV
CatNap? Perfect score? Impossible! He must've cheated. Me, Hoppy, Kickin Chicken, Bobby, CraftyCorn, Picky Piggy, and Dogday went to the soccer field when the bell rang. I was the referee this time around, Hoppy, Kickin Chicken, and Picky were on one team, and Dogday, CraftyCorn, and Bobby were on the other team. CatNap wasn't with us though, and Dogday noticed this too.
"Dogday, can you locate CatNap? I haven't seen him since class." I asked, since the way Dogday dragged CatNap into class, something was off with him, and I was worried for him. I heard singing.
CatNap's POV
I went to a tree on the top of a hill, and pulled out a book from the backpack, and was singing a song from my head.
[Verse 1]
Beware, I'm trapped and cannot flee
Everything's not as it seems It seems that I attracted some animals, and they were following
I open the door to see
The terrors in front of me I now had a crowd following me, including some of the ones I noticed earlier that day
A cycle I need to break
My family's lives are all at stake Some of them were eager to listen to me sing, and more were coming
I'll save them, no matter what it takes
I do this for their sake
[Chorus]
Living in a house of nightmares
Feel it in my soul, there's an evil in the air Some of them were curious about that, and more were coming
Waking up in the cursed building I call home
Where terrors reside and the undead roam
Every time I die, I wake back up again
Arising from my bed, just when doеs it end? They were more animals, and they were wondering what I meant by rising from a bed after someone dies
Have to hurry solving mysteriеs in rooms
I'll find out the secret before the loop becomes my tomb
[Verse 2]
My life keep meeting ends and I grow numb
To the cold touch of death whenever I succumb
The pain of loss was hefty, now it's just a chore
To see my loved ones die once more
Following the clues to unravel the horrors
Last loop I had to save my mom, now I must destroy her
Every time I change my motives and live out my day
I hope that it's all over, but the day loops anyway
[Chorus]
Living in a house of nightmares
Feel it in my soul, there's an evil in the air
Waking up in the cursed building I call home
Where terrors reside and the undead roam
Every time I die, I wake back up again
Arising from my bed, just when does it end?
Have to hurry solving mysteries in rooms
I'll find out the secret before the loop becomes my tomb
[Bridge]
Every time I loop, I get another hint
On the plight of the house behind the curtain
Protected by a song and my axe's glint
I will crack the riddle and of that I'm certain
I've taken every avenue and now I've stopped the clock
Without the flow of time, the loop has ceased
Find the evil the house has hidden, stored and locked
I'll quell the terror lurking here and finally find peace
[Chorus]
Living in a house of nightmares
Feel it in my soul, there's an evil in the air
Waking up in the cursed building I call home
Where terrors reside and the undead roam
Every time I die, I wake back up again
Arising from my bed, just when does it end?
Have to hurry solving mysteries in rooms
I'll find out the secret before the loop becomes my tomb
It appeared every animal around followed me by the end of the song, and they dispersed after I finished. I arrived at the tree, sat down, and pulled out a book. I started to read, but the silver fox from the classroom didn't leave, and sat down. They were tall at first glance.
"Hi there." she said.
"Hello." I replied.
"Whatcha reading?" she asked.
"First, can I get your name?" I asked in response.
"It's Sablemoon Duskwhisper. Your name?" she responded. I had a feeling this was for her own gain, but I was learning things about her too.
"It's CatNap. And the book I'm reading is about paranormal activity".
"Can I look at it?" Sablemoon asked. I did, and she started to read it. Then Dogday showed up.
"CatNap, can I talk to you in private?" he asked. I got up, and walked with him, and in a clearing a good distance away from the tree, Dogday said:
"You should be careful around her.".
"Why?".
"From what I heard, Sablemoon Duskwhisper was suspended for killing the janitor, and eating his body. The police had to drag her away, still holding the body and chewing." Dogday said, sounding worried. "I don't want that to happen to you, CatNap. You're my friend, and I don't know what life would be like without you. I mean, sure, you have problems too, but friends stick together.".
"I understand." I replied, understanding the concern. I still didn't know much about this world I turned up in, but I knew more than when I woke up.
(The song featured is made from Kyle Allen Music, and the Smiling Critters group aren't mine either)