As my consciousness returns to me, I smell the sweet scent of my freshly washed linen. My eyes don’t quite open, but I can feel my silky sheets all around me. My head tosses in drowsy bliss and my arms flail to swim out of the covering. Once the blanket has fallen from my face, the sun hits my eyelids begging them to open. As I blinked my sleep away, I glanced down at my arms. Catching sight of what appear to be purple tentacles, I blink more furiously in an attempt to shake whatever trance I’ve been in. When the octopus arms before me still stand, I try to move them. They writhe and curl creepily up to my face and swipe my perplexed eyes. Feeling the rubbery suctions against my skin lead me to believe that this is not a dream.

I scream to the top of my lungs and jump out of bed. But, oh, what have I done that for? My legs! They look as those of a tyrannosaurus rex! I stomp and my bedroom shakes terribly, disturbing the books from my shelf. Scared of my own feet, I curl my toe, accidentally etching a deep scrape into my wooden floorboards. Stepping away in terror from that which I cannot escape, I press my back into the wall. Suddenly, I feel something crawling up my shoulder blades, tickling my neck. Jumping away with a shout, I realize that it is only my new long tail. Jet black and sheen like a cat, weaving every which way like it has a mind of its own.

Bringing my hands-- eh-- tentacles to my chest, I try taking a deep breath. But, what has happened to my chest? My rubbery grips find themselves brushing up against a feathery breast. Have I become a bird-octo-saurus-cat? My legs, my arms, my tail, my chest... Oh no. What has become of my face? I run into the bathroom, creating dents in my floor on the way. Coming face to face-- or snout to snout-- with my reflection, I notice my nose had become the trunk of an elephant, and my ears had been replaced with cricket antennae. My eyes had become compound like a fly, and mouth was now that of an anteater. Not to mention that my neck was now covered in fish gills. How shall I expect to work in such an outrageous condition? I guess I should call in. But, first, I must figure how to handle my phone with these hideously awkward arms...

I tossed and turned all night. Something felt wrong. I snap awake, my breath ragged and torn. My head felt as though it has been pounded with bricks. Rubbing my sore, heavy eyes I roll out of bed and shuffle to the bathroom. My back aches, protesting with each movement. I flicker on the dim lights in my bathroom and stand in front of the wide metal rimmed mirror on the wall. A sharp gasp escapes my lips. Long, twisted horned prodded from my head, meeting two feet in the air. My eyes burned a malicious red, wings frantically flapping behind me. The black feathers ruffled and torn. They cascade to the ground with each groan of my bones. Tears rim the lids of my eyes.

”what’s happening to me?“ I cried. I brittle, hollow laughter filled the bathroom, drowning me. I shield my ears with my hands, attempting to block out the noise. It doesn’t work.

“What do you want?” I gasped.

“You stole something that wasn’t yours. Now you pay the price!” The voice shrieked.

”but I didn’t steal anyth-” I started. I thought back to yesterday and remembered it’s events. On my way home I had come upon a gold incrusted pendant with a red ruby center. The vintage piece was a work of art. I had taken it home and washed away the dirt that matted it’s fine artistry.

“I didn’t steal it though!” I shouted.

”You took what wasn’t yours. Now you pay!” A disfigured from shaped in the mirror. It’s backed hunched in an inhuman arch, it’s ashy skin flaking from its body, if it could even be called that. Chipped, dagger like claws grew from its dainty fingers. It’s eyes were as black as coal. It cackled a raspy sound and disolved into the air.

“No!” I screamed. I pounded my fist against the glass over and over until it was dripping with crimson.

“you can’t leave me like this!” I cried. “You just can’t,”