ACT 01 #BLUR

1
I blinked in a state of bewilderment as I suddenly found myself standing in a white hallway.Soft blue lights illuminated the path ahead, casting an eerie yet captivating glow.My heart palpitated with anxiety, and I surveyed my surroundings in an attempt to comprehend where I was.I couldn't recollect how I had arrived at this place.With hesitant steps, I proceeded forward, my dainty white shoes emitting a faint squeak against the polished marble floor that stretched before me infinitely.Questions whirled through my mind like leaves caught in a gust of wind: Where was I? Why was I here? Was this reality or just mere fantasy?As I progressed further down the corridor, a sense of awe mixed with my uneasiness. The blue lights seemed to pulse gently, almost as if they were guiding me towards something unknown to me until now- An ethereal door forming beside me made its presence known.The door appeared translucent and frosted glass-like; it resembled that of a portal into another world-its surface unblemished by any imperfections whatsoever.Strangely enough though there wasn't any knob for opening it so curiosity tugged at my sleeve compelling me closer towards the door.As soon as my hand reached out tentatively towards it, the world around me shifted instantly upon passing through what felt like curtains of mist emanating from within said doorway leading to an expanse beyond comprehension ——The moment I opened my eyes, my vision was engulfed by an eternal expanse of white. My memory had been wiped clean; not a single recollection remained, not even my own identity or place of origin. It felt as though I had emerged from a surreal dream or perhaps a nightmarish trance. Abruptly, towering bookshelves formed elaborate mazes amidst the blankness before me."Where am I? Everything's so white..." I mumbled to myself, trying to make sense of my surroundings.Suddenly, a voice echoed through the sterile air. "Well, well, well. Look who wandered here again. Welcome to the plant, guest."Startled, I pivoted toward the source of the sound, and there it was—a white cat, sitting nonchalantly amidst the whiteness."Cat... talking? Manaki-neko" I stammered, my eyes widening in disbelief.The cat, named number 000 as I later discovered, replied casually, "Of course, I talk. I'm not your ordinary feline, you know. Neither am I any of such creature you're thinking of. I possess exceptional abilities that make me anything but an ordinary creature.""A talking cat? That's... that's amazing!" I exclaimed, still trying to wrap my head around the situation."You are the first visitor to express astonishment at my ability. So what brings you here?" the cat inquired, its gaze piercing but curious."I... I don't really know. I can't recall how or why I arrived here; my memory seems absent" I confessed, my voice hesitant."No memories, huh? Interesting. And what brings you to the library block?" the cat continued, unfazed.I couldn't resist a smile as my gaze was captured by the feline's tail. "Library block? Sorry if I intruded in this place; it's just that everywhere else was dark outside, and the library seemed to be the only place with light, so I ended up here."The cat raised an eyebrow, challenging my perception and declared confidently. "Dark? Far from it, my friend."Confused, I turned to look back at the entrance I came through. To my surprise, it was bright with no indication of the darkness I thought I had escaped."Huh? But a second ago, it was really dark. Or was it?" My bewilderment evident in words spoken out aloud without any hesitation whatsoever now due mainly because such an abrupt change made no sense whatsoever given circumstances surrounding current situation right then & there..."As far as anyone knows, visitor, and for as long as I know, the plant never runs out of energy. So, I see no reason for it to lose it out of nowhere. Besides, the Plant never runs short on energy supply needed for its upkeep nor does anything ever go wrong leading up to its downfall anytime soon either which means we're safe for now," the cat explained further adding onto his previous statement quite comfortably, implying he knew more than just surface level information about the situation. "Guest? Anyone other than me is a guest because I'm the guardian of the plant, number 000," the cat declared proudly, pointing to itself.And that was how I met number 000, the guardian of the plant, in the strangely white library that held more seemed mysterious than a talking cat itself.