FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I lay curled on the cold cement floor. The chill slowly seeped through my fur into my aching bones as I lay, curled and crying. I held my tail in my arms, like a child holds a teddy bear, as I buried my muzzle into it. The blood that was splattered all over me was not my own; it made my fur and clothes stiff and coppery smelling. The cold florescent light hanging from the cement ceiling flickered dimly, probably because of our old generator. Let it go black for all I care. There was nothing I could have done to save them. They are dead now. Gone. All gone.

*** *** ***

The world I lived in, before the Virus struck, was a world of change and development. Over the years, the planet had become grossly overpopulated. The world leaders met, and could only look to the skies as some solution. By 2012, NASA, in conjunction with many other aerospace programs around the world, created a means of interstellar travel, cutting the time taken to travel a light-year into a matter of weeks. Using the first Trans Stellarum engines, the world sent forth a colony ship crewed by brave volunteers. There was a planet, using these new engines, which was about a month and a half travel from Earth; it had been deemed by scientist as possibly hospitable, as readings showed an atmosphere very similar to our own. The people on the ship were to go to the planet and try to survive. The colony was dead in a little over two months.

What the scientist hadn't counted on was that this planet, tagged 158-DSX, would have developed its own ecosystems and animals given the atmospheric make-up. Granted these animals were not the same as on Earth, but there were things that resembled birds, things that looked like trees, and stuff that seemed like grass. The colonists had tried to plant Earth crops, but this failed. The soil was not right for growing these Earth plants. The colonists had to resort to finding edible food in the environment around them. They died quickly after that. A human's bodily systems were not hardy enough to handle new, non-Earth food. The human race had so long had processed and genetically altered food and crops that they had lost any strength to handle wild sources of food, let alone the alien plant and animal life of 158-DSX.

For the human race to move on to 158-DSX, or any other alien planet it seemed, they were probably going to have to evolve. Science was not at a level to create successful terra-forming machines, but the field of genetic exploitation had come very far. Originally created to heal those who had genetic diseases, the Accumulative Genetic Reformation Procedure, or the AGRP, could be used to speed and change the flows of evolution. Patients treated with the AGRP are injected with a slurry of patented chemicals and a new, fixed copy of their genetic code. This procedure allowed the injected genetic code to multiply and reestablish as the principle genetic code for all the cells in the body, fixing the targeted problem.

It was the beginning of 2013. Scientists had an idea, but could not try it on the public while not knowing if it would work. Therefore, in secret, the governments allowed the use of a few life-sentence criminals as test subjects. These men and women had their memory wiped in a simple brain operation, and were reeducated for the purpose of experimentation, and if the experiments were successful, colonization. There were four test subjects, two men and two women, were each given a different animal type to transform into. Canine and feline species would only be used for the integration process, as these constituted many of the main predatory land species and were most familiar to the humans. One man would be merged with timber wolf genes, the other would integrate with those genes of a red fox. The women would be merged with genes of a leopard and those of a common tabby cat.

Using their extensive knowledge of genetics, the scientist on the project began to carefully construct new genetic codes for each of the test subjects. They worked diligently; making sure the code would allow the perfect combination of man and beast. The test subjects would have higher brain development of man, but allow animal instinct. They made sure the head would refigure in a way that speech could still be attainable after the transformation. The test subjects would keep their up-right posture, but their feet would reconfigure to that of a digitigrade build. After the perfect combination was made, the injections were made. Not knowing quite how the restructuring might happen, each subject was placed in a liquid stasis chamber, where all his or her bodily functions would be taken care of and he or she would remain unconscious until the process was done.

The complete internal and external change took about 11 months for the test subjects. It had worked. All four of the test subjects had successfully mutated into what were the beginnings of the Homo bestia, or as the common people called them, Furries. Once the tests were shown to have been successful, the government opened up for colonization volunteers. These volunteers could chose to be merged with nearly any canine or feline species, though going through the program meant two things; the volunteer and family lose all rights to sue if something goes wrong, and he or she must spend a minimum of three years on a colony. After this three-year period, if the volunteer is someone who can leave without causing trouble (somebody who's not in a position of power) and the volunteer hasn't started a family, they can apply to go back to Earth if he or she wants.

Many people volunteered to this program. It grew strongly, allowing many settlements to be made across the various terrains of 158-DSX. Many did, however, apply to go back home to earth. Don't get my story wrong; many people did stay on 158-DSX. Soon, however, there was a large enough Furry population here on Earth that it began to grow by much more natural means. Of course, a Furry and a human could not have kids, nor could one of the feline Furries mate successfully with the canine Furries as they were all genetically unlike enough to be different species.

This bloom of the Furry population took several years, and by 2020, many Furry children could be found in schools and daycares. I, myself, was born in 2024. After some years of trials and tribulations, similar to the African-Americans of the 1960's, the Furries were able to gain a permanent place in society. Those in the government were wise to pass laws of liberty quickly, or it could have easily been as bad as the 1960's. Prejudice was still out there, but much harder to act upon.

The world I live in now, in 2041, has a much smaller population, with the decline caused by death or...other circumstances.... Food and water that is safe can be hard to come by, depending on where you live. There are no more governments in the world, at least large ones of any power. There are still vehicles out there, but finding gas for them is another story. Guns, in all essence, have become the common law. Such a great change in the world was caused by only something very tiny...the Virus.

The Virus swept through the world near the beginning of 2035. It decimated the nervous system, instilling a hunger only for flesh of mankind. Strangely enough, it had only spread through the human populations, without affecting other animals or Furries. It started small, in a secluded area of Scandinavia. We guess the Virus reached the US about 2 months after its release. East to west, it continued to spread. It starts with a constant itching of the skin, followed by graying of the skin. Soon it started to peal, as the Victim's body deteriorated. Memory started to go, along with basic cognitive skills. Eventually, he or she would simply pass out, then wake several days later with only an insatiable hunger.

It had spread the fastest in the cities, due to simple proximity. All it took was a small scratch of one who'd been infected to pass the disease. People, fearing their lives, fled west and to the country in hopes of escaping the Virus. It simply spread faster.

6 years later, and the Virus is still a major threat. The life span of those affected is not altered, only dying from hunger or from being killed. My Mother, my sister, and I now lived in a small house in what was the Kansas area, though state boarders mattered little. It had seemed like a miracle when we'd found it; a fresh flowing stream ran near the house, a wind generator had already been installed, and there was a cement subterranean shelter with a nice metal door which had been meant for tornadoes. My father had been with us when we'd found it, but four years ago, he went out on a scavenging trip and didn't come back.

*** *** ***

It's no use think of the past now, Keon! I thought to myself with a shake of my head. I had to stay focused; I was about to enter a city. Before continuing on, I adjusted the small respirator over my muzzle as to make sure it was a snug fit. The Virus had started out as only contact-contagious, but whenever someone infected died, the Virus in him or her became airborne. It was commonly known that the virus didn't affect Furries, but I did not want to tempt fate. Finally, I made sure that the small motorcycle I had ridden here was well hidden; it would be a quick steal for anyone who found it.

Silently, I treaded into the city. I do not know what this city had been called, but it was big. That meant more possibility of good supplies...and a higher chance of Infected. After I was a little ways in, I took the handgun out of the holster at my side. I had to be prepared incase another, much more hostile, scavenger or some Infected found me. My vulpine tail flicked behind me as I padded slowly along on digitigrade feet, wrapped in long strips of cloth as a measure of protection against debris. My sensitive nose could not smell as well under the respirator, but my large black ears flicked and rotated, trying to catch the slightest sound of warning. There was only silence. An eerie silence only broke by the wind blowing bits of litter through the street.

Finally, I came upon a promising looking building. It looked like it had once been a superstore of some kind, and that would be perfect. On this scavenge, Mom had said to look for medicine of any kind; aspirin...cough syrup...it didn't matter. Walking to the big glass sliding doors, I wedged my fingers between the two and slowly pulled one door aside. Quickly, I holstered my gun and grabbed a big flashlight from my pack, turning on the beam into the darkness of the big building.

Stepping inside, I watched as a few bugs skittered away from the beam of light. Some stores I'd encountered had skylights, so I could save precious battery life. Unfortunately, this one did not. Now would be a great time to be one of the Felines... I thought a little grudgingly as I walked carefully through the debris towards what I hoped was the pharmaceutical section. Sure enough, I soon saw the aisles change to vitamins and lotions. Using my light to scan the overhead signs, I quickly found the aisle with medicine.

Swinging my pack off my shoulders, I unzipped the largest pocket, which was empty. Grasping one side of the bag with my left hand, I put the flashlight in my left armpit so I could have my right hand free. Swiftly, I began scanning the boxes and bottles, knocking whatever fitted my fancy into the open pack. After about 20 or so bottles, I moved on to the aisle with vitamins and supplements. We grew, hunted, and scavenged all our food, so it was hard to make sure we had all the right nutrients. Soon my pack had grown heavy with all the pharmaceutical goods. I had gotten what I needed, so I should go as soon as possible.

With a lingering thought, I worked my way farther into the store. If I could find the electronics department, I might find batteries, and if it was my lucky day, rechargeable batteries. Near the very back of the store, my light began to shine across the shiny, dusty TV displays and glass cases for electronic devices. Working my way through the rows of useless electronic goods, I found just what I had been looking for and more. There, on the bottom shelf was a battery charging station, with places to charge any major battery type, from AAA to C. Nearby were packs of various battery types, all rechargeable.

I nearly cried out in joy at what a miraculous find this was, but caught myself before it escaped. I could not stop my tail from swishing happily, though, as I loaded the recharger and several packages of batteries into my pack. Zipping it closed, I stood and hoisted the now very heavy bag over my arm and onto my shoulder. Sliding the other arm through the strap, I started quickly in the direction I remembered as the front. Stopping for a second, I switched of my light and let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Slowly, I looked around, trying to find the glow of the sun shining through the front door. When I saw it, I switched on my light again and began heading in that direction.

Suddenly, I heard a loud crash as boxes of something fell over. My heart instantly fluttered intensely as adrenalin pumped through my blood. I had no clue what it was, for all I knew it could have just been unstable boxes or some animal knocking something over. Luckily, the sound had come from a distance behind me, somewhere in the store, and it was going to stay that way...I hoped...

Making sure to keep my steps as quiet as possible, I quickly worked my way back to the front of the building. There was no use spending the time to close the sliding door I had came in through; there was no one to care about its state of openness. Once outside, I had to blink a few times to get used to the bright sun. Looking around, I saw nothing had changed from when I had entered. Keeping one hand near my holster, I began to walk back to the outskirts of the city, where the motorcycle was hidden.

If I had not been trained by my dad to always keep my senses open to the surroundings, I might not have heard the light shuffling coming from behind me. Infected, though most semblance of humanity lost, still had cunning and intelligence. So much that some of the most experienced of scavengers could fall prey. They knew where to hide and how to hide... how to be quiet and walk certain ways...how to be utterly silent until they unleashed their terrible inhuman screams of success as they feasted on flesh.

I could not look behind at them unprepared, for they would charge me, and Infected can be very quick. I continued walking on as if I had not noticed them, but I slowly reached up and grabbed a small mirror clipped to one of the straps of my pack. Taking it off, I used it to look behind me and see how many Infected there were. It was a larger group than usual for hunting a single piece of prey; a pack of five. This meant they were very hungry. What remained of their clothes hung loosely on their thin, wiry frames; their gaunt grey skin stretched tightly over their body, accenting each bone in a grotesque manner. Eyes, sunk deep into the scull, were trained intently on me as thin lines of drool dripped from lips, thin and cracked.

It would be incredibly tricky, but I could probably survive...probably.

Clipping the mirror back to the strap, I calmly bought my right hand down to my holster and my left up to the where a machete was strapped to my back. Gripping both the gun and the handle of the blade, I turned around in a flash, drawing both. With a trained eye, I quickly shot three in the head as they charged. Two fell; one continued, though slowed. I tried to take another shot, but the remaining Infected drew to close for me to take proper aim. I thrust the machete out and stabbed one between the ribs. I quickly shot it while the injury had it slowed. It fell dead.

I felt something jump at my back and wrap around me. I'd spent too much time on the one. Turning to face the only remaining Infected not latched to my back, I shot it dead in the forehead as I fell back hard onto the other. I had thrown my weight into it, and heard a reassuring crunch as rips snapped. I rolled nimbly to the side as its latch on me faltered. Swiftly, I chopped the machete blade through the Infected's neck.

Luckily, I had survived. The one I had decapitated, now laying a pool of blood, had been the one that had survived the shot to the head. Dusting myself off, I saw small flecks of blood splattered all over my traveling cloths and my fur.

I flicked my ears in anticipation and worry as I started to flat-out run towards where my motorcycle was. Anyone or anything in the city would have heard the gunshots, and would now be keyed in on my position. I hadn't wanted to use the gun, but I couldn't have escaped five Infected with just a machete. My pack had survived the scratches of the Infected, but the many small punctures would have to be fixed soon. After about ten minutes of running, I came finally upon where my bike was hidden.

Shoving off the garbage, foliage, and other things I had used to hide my bike, I tripped the kick stand with my foot and hopped on. After a couple kicks, the engine fired up and I was off, away from the city. I hated scavenging in big cities like this for this exact reason; things could go south very quickly. After I was a safer distance away, I stopped and grabbed a pair of travel goggles out of my pack, sliding them over my head and ears. Once positioned over my eyes, I unstrapped the respirator from around my muzzle, relishing in the feeling of being able to smell and breathe unrestricted. After this was done, I sped off again towards home.

It was a bleak hour of travel through various swatches of country. At one point I was riding through a small suburban area where I knew one family to live. The cookie-cutter houses, with lawns that had probably been regulated by the HOA, had fallen to disrepair. Grass had grown tall and wild in the yards, and weeds were abundant. After this, it was a ride through fields and fields of what had been farm land. Weeds also dominated the fields, creating a bland, dried landscape. Many of the fields also appeared bone-dry, now that there was no irrigation.

Eventually, I came to our isolated prairie home. I saw our wind generator turning slightly as I rode up, charging whatever we needed charged. The stained wood siding of the house made it look older than it really was. I pulled up in front of the detached garage and turned the bike off; I would come back out later to put it away.

It was strange...my sister would have run out to great me by now, as she always did. I started towards the door in worried strides. It wasn't till I was closer, almost to the small porch, that I saw the wood splintered around the hinges of the door. "Mom?" I said quietly, then a little louder, "MOM! HANNA!"

I tore to the door and flung it open. It simply fell aside, as it had been ripped from the doorframe. There...right in the middle of the living room...was what I only saw in nightmares. My mother and sister were both mangled in a pool of blood. Tufts of orange fur were here and there all over the scene. I choked back a cry as I saw an Infected lying nearby with a steak knife through its eye. If I had not known that these masses of bloodied flesh were once my family, I could not have identified them as even humanoid. I dared not touch them...simply because of who'd they had been and the sorry state of their bodies. I just kneeled down and started sobbing.

I felt a heavy weight tackle me down out of nowhere. Seeing the pale arms wrap around me, my situation only got worse. "Shit!" I yelled as I saw more Infected going past the windows to the front door. This was a huge gathering...there was no way I could win...

I struggled and flailed in the grasp of the Infected as it kept me on the floor for the others. I managed, through my panic and tears, to grasp my gun. I couldn't pull it from the holster, but I managed to angle it at the Infected on me. I dug my finger into the holster and fingered the trigger. There was a bang and a fur-raising screech by my ears as the bullet connected somewhere on its body. I felt something warm begin to soak through my pants and into my fur...I could only assume it was Infected blood.

I struggled harder as Infected started to clamber through the door. With a sharp jerk back of my head, I connected hard with something on the Infected's body. It was enough to loosen its grip, that I might escape. I sent an elbow flying back into the creature as I got to my hands and knees. I tried to stand up and run, but my captor's arm caught my left leg. Shaking off the grip fiercely, I tried to step forward again, but my foot slipped in the blood on the floor. With a sickening thud...I fell into what remained of my family. I nearly threw up as I quickly go to my feet and ran towards the only place I'd be safe. I heard crashes behind me as the Infected chased behind me through the house.

My face fur streaked with tears and my loved ones' blood, I ran through the back kitchen door into the back lot. I saw more Infected at the edge of my vision, coming my direction from either side of the house. I was only focused on one thing; the steel door in the ground about 40 feet away. My tail whipped behind me as I sprinted to the door, moaning and shuffling and the stench of blood all around me. I flew open the hatch and started down the ladder. Quickly, I tried to close the hatch shut over me as I descended, but a few Infected that had caught up grasped onto the hatch door. In a flash, I swept my machete off my back and cut through their wrists.

I closed the hatch and bolted it shut. I heard moans and banging on metal my entire descent down to the tornado bunker.

I fumbled open the door at the bottom of the ladder.

...they're dead...

I walked in slowly, flicking on the light switch.

...they're blood...all over...

I fell forward, first to my knees, then all the way down, as it all hit me.

I lay curled on the cold cement floor. The chill slowly seeped through my fur into my aching bones as I lay, crying and trembling. I held my tail in my arms, like a child holds a teddy bear, as I buried my muzzle into it. The blood that was splattered all over me was not my own; it made my fur and clothes stiff and coppery smelling. The cold florescent light hanging from the cement ceiling flickered dimly, probably because of our old generator. Let it go black for all I care. There was nothing I could have done to save them. They are dead now. Gone. All gone.