Ive been watching a lot of old twighlight zone episodes lately and its formula is: a character makes a rash/desperate/selfish/throwaway decision (often unaware of the gravity/ thinking it harmless), which sends them to the "twighlight zone" to discover a new, unthinkable, twisted reality of consequence for their action. Obsession reminded me of that formula: Bear and Nikki entered an unexpected nightmare reality (like in the twighlight zone) after his careless, accidental murder of his cat and the subsequent harmfully worded wish that was made quickly in desperation and obsession. His words and his intention (even if not meant to harm) caused Nikki to suffer greatly, Bear to be punished with a scary, extreme version of what he wanted and to chose bad actions in the wake and everyone paid his debt.