FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Your sleep is as dreamless as it is restful. Your eyelids are slammed shut, unaware of anything outside of them--unaware you have eyelids at all. Your mind does not race. It is still like the night. No matter the obligations you had before or the ordeals you endured, they will not disturb you in this rest. Nothing at all will disturb you. For once in your life, you know what peace is. Whenever a thought tries to enter this deep dark void, you can feel those soft lips at your ear, whispering all the tools you need to keep them at bay. When your problems disappear, the voice fades into the background. It is still present, but only in the form of white noise, speaking words you no longer recognize as words. It reassures you, holds you and leaves you with a wonderful, endless nothing. The only words you need to know are those five syllables that send you deeper into the inviting darkness. Empty and relaxed.

After eons of this peace, only then does something appear in the shadows. You can feel yourself rising, still at the pace of a slow, fluffy cloud but in the opposite direction this time. Relaxation still floods your being, but all the voice asks for is just a little bit more of your attention. You can handle that. The voice and you have worked hard together to get you deep down to this velvety soft place, so you fall back on that comforting trust as it pulls you further upward.

You rise up on your cloud and begin to pull towards a spiral glass staircase, floating in this endless void. As the first step comes into view, you begin to hear the voice again. The calming white noise statics in your ears and understanding comes naturally. You nod languidly, an implacable trust urging you onward. Reluctantly, but no less relaxed, you stand. Your foot (oh right, feet exist) reaches out and dips a toe onto the first step. That wasn't so bad. Tentatively, the rest of your sole joins it. A different kind of calm flows through you. Your mind comes to an understanding. The staircase isn't anything to fear because it's different. You can keep your calm and continue to climb up. When you're ready, the voice invites you up the next step. Your other foot leaves the familiarity of your cloud and plants itself on the second step. Tranquility continues to rule you, but you become more aware. The world becomes a little brighter. It's different, but change isn't the worst sensation. On some level, you know you can rise up and still retain the peace you learned in this sanctuary.

Once you hit the third step, you remember what words are and the voice comes into focus, still in your ear, still right where it needs to be to keep you safe, but more real. "That's it. Coming up on number four now. You take your next step. Still so loose and limp, but ready for a new day. Five. I'm still here. You're still doing so well. Relaxed, but just a little less empty. Six, we're starting to realize that we're almost at the top of the staircase. But that's okay. Because you know you can come back here anytime. Because hypnosis is so very natural. And it's easy to drop when you need to and when you want to. Seven. It's okay to come up. It's okay to be aware that the staircase is all in your head. Eight. Eyelids a little less heavy. Ready to open any second. Nine, feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Come on up. Ten! Up! Up we come! Eyes open! Wake up!"

Your eyes snap open to the ceiling of your bedroom. Relaxed tingles run down from your brain all the way to your wiggling toes. The light of a new morning flows in through your window. You stretch your arms out, sending delightful, invigorating shivers through your body. Your mind, while aware of your responsibilities for the day, feels a newfound confidence in your ability to tackle them.

A roar-like yawn erupts from your bedside. You look to find your laptop still on from last night and yourself still in a voice chat. Your icon flashes with your heavy breathing right beneath the icon of a white moustachioed tiger, whom the yawn generated from. Vague, tired memories try to pull themselves to the surface, but fall short of one overlying truth. Sheepishly, you ask Bruce if you went deeper than last time.

"Well it's hard to tell with voice alone," he says, with a croaky, tired gait. "But those snores made for some great background noise while I finished this manuscript. So, that's a pretty good sign, sweetie pie."

You laugh, in slight embarrassment, but that fades as you remember it's just you and Bruce. You crawl out of bed, doing some stretches as a strange, focused energy runs through your limbs. Out of curiosity, you asked if that's a post-hypnotic suggestion.

"Naw, I didn't do anything you didn't ask for. That's not my style. I think you just enjoy hypnosis. Which, you know, is natural." The question bubbles up in your throat before you can stop. You ask if he gave you a trigger. "Only the one you asked for." You express confusion. You don't remember any triggers. "My mistake. I gave you the trigger you asked for and also asked me to help you forget. Guess it worked like a charm, hm? My susceptible little subject."

His teasing makes you chuckle as you get dressed for the day. He could be kidding. He must be. You ask him to try it on you, just in case. Not because you want to go under again or anything. Of course not.

"Mmm..." The tiger grunts. You hear him stretch too over the line. "Maybe later, Boo. Maybe later. For now, I think I should turn into a sleepy tiger myself. Work's all done and the sight of my bed is putting me into a trance. I'll sign off. Seeya tonight, potentially, sweetie."

You bid your goodbye and Bruce's icon disappears. With that, you sigh, a slight disappointment in your heart. Regardless, you proceed to carry on with your day, getting dressed, having breakfast, running a pot of coffee. It's when you're brushing your teeth and staring into your own eyes that you wonder why you're still so relaxed. Your reflection peers back at you and tilts its head in curiosity, wondering if the person you're seeing isn't still deep in that relaxed state. If not, you wonder if you could go back again on your own, so easily, like the tiger told you you could. In a rush of impulse, you pinch yourself.

Yup. Wide awake.