FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A few weeks have passed since that day that Todd and I traveled to the old refinery. Finding the daughter of the Wilkinson family turned out to be a boost in morale for the other workers here at the base. As for Snowy though, she had been quiet and distant ever since we brought her here; she won't leave her room, won't communicate with the others, and only will come to me when she has a problem or just wants to talk. I had a feeling something was going to happen at some point, whether good or bad, I am not sure, but there was a strong vibe in the atmosphere and whatever it was, it didn't seem friendly...

"Hey Ein, come here for a second would ya?" A familiar voice rang out and shook me from my thoughts.

I perked my ears and turned to see Todd waving his paw at me to beckon. As I stood from my chair, I heard a strange noise ring through my mind that caused me to stop and shake my head. I couldn't identify what it was or the source... only that it sounded distant.

"Yo, you coming over here or what?"

"Huh? Oh sorry Todd... just, something on my mind."

I tried to shake my head clear of the thoughts that spun around. Whatever was plaguing my mind was starting to affect my behavior outwardly because I know some of the others started giving me strange looks. When I got to Todd's desk, I noticed a picture on the monitor of his laptop that looked familiar.

"Isn't that the-"

The fox nodded and replied before I finished "Yeah, the old refinery we went to when we found the Wilkinson girl, but here's the thing. Take a look at this photo and tell me what you see."

I glanced down at it and tried to decipher it as best I could but found no anomalies in it. "Looks like the refinery entrance with the Wilkinson's standing in front of it."

He nodded once more then raised his paw to point at the screen. "Take a look at the Wilkinsons, but rather at 'Snowy' in particular."

"What do you mean?"

He stood up and offered his chair, to which I sat in and turned toward the screen. He once again pointed at Snowy and that's when I saw it. The revelation caused me to stare for a few moments, trying to understand what I was seeing, whether it was a mistake or error, but it wouldn't have made sense.

"Her eyes... they're not red like we've seen before."

Todd nodded and started to pace around his desk, voicing his thoughts aloud to me as he tried to piece together the puzzle. "Something must have happened to her... why else would her eyes change color and then start adopting these other features we see now, that weren't there before?"

I continued to stare at the picture and the more I did so, the more I began to think that something definitely wasn't right with the girl... Then a tangent of a thought hit me and I couldn't help but think about it more. My change in thoughts must have caught Todd's attention because he turned towards me and tilted his head.

"Got something on your mind man?"

I bit my lip slightly and turned to look at him for a moment before looking away towards the door that led to the room where Snowy resided. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense but seemed so crazy all of the same time. I shook my head and brushed it off as nothing.

"Nah, nothing, just my own thoughts swirling around and making me thing of crazy things."

"Hey in this case and our chaotic time, crazy might be more reasonable than you think."

Once more I glanced back at the photo Todd displayed on his computer but this time something caught my attention that I hadn't noticed before. I quickly stood up and ushered Todd into the chair, to which he took to without question. "Look here..." I pointed to the picture and began to draw a conclusion from what I saw. "Her shadow... it doesn't look like her at all."

Todd shook his head "What do you mean...?"

"Take a close look at the Wilkinsons' shadows; they are all at the same angle and relative to their height."

He glanced over to that picture and nodded, "I got ya, but what does this-"

I cut him off and leaned forward, pointing at them then sliding my finger over to Snowy. As soon as he saw what I was pointing at, he did a quick double take and leaned closer to look.

"No, that doesn't seem right... you think it could've been altered somehow?"

I shook my head, "How could it? The Wilkinsons died years ago and we just got this photograph from Snowy herself when we found her; she couldn't have altered a processed hard copy of it."

Todd leaned back and enhanced the image to zoom in around Snowy, but I could tell the more he looked at it, the more he was trying not to believe it. "Then how is this possible..."

"Because Snowy isn't exactly who she says she is..." I turned and looked at the door once more, feeling that uncomfortable vibe once more radiate from within. "I know it sounds crazy Todd but I believe... I seriously think that some kind of demon possessed her..." I turned back to him, waiting to receive this skeptical expression but instead I found him nodding and relaxed demeanor.

"To be honest, I kind of felt that way ever since we first found her; at least in a sense."

I tilted my head and pulled up a chair to sit next to him, trying to relax my mind as it continued to wrap around this perplexing situation. I turned to him then at the photo, knowing we needed to find answers. Before I could delve my mind into it, his voice snapped me from my thoughts.

"Think about it Ein; she's still young and a minor, so she's helpless and innocent looking. Anyone could have snatched her up off the street and sold her to some labor camp or used her for their own pleasure... but she's remained untouched. She has those strange marking in her fur which looks like symbols, her eyes are glowing red, she has horns, and to top it all off; do you remember what she said when we were first noticed?"

I tried to think back to that day and clear the fog from my mind. I remember seeing her for the first time and she was rising out of the tub, which to this day still burns an image into my mind... but that wasn't it. Then it hit me... she said she would basically attack us when she was alerted.

"She said, she would get a beating spoon and hit us?"

Todd nodded but raised his finger in point, "But it wasn't what she said, but the way she said it, insinuating that she knew what she was doing."

"You mean like she had to have defended herself before?"

He nodded once more and turned towards me, leaning back in his chair as he flicked his tail around anxiously. "How could a girl, in her stature and physique, possibly fight off most of these low-life alley dwellers? And more so, if she had, don't you think they would have come back with more guys to get her?"

The thoughts and scenarios ran through my mind and each one was adding up but left that same confusing piece in there... how could she do it by herself?

"Also, one thing that bothers me is this..."

I lifted my head up and saw a slight dreaded expression on his face that led me to believe something came across his mind that he seriously didn't want to consider.

"...Why didn't we see any refugees or street dwellers on the way to the refinery or around it when we went back to gather her belongings?"

"What do you mean?"

Todd slowly rose to his feet and turned to walk towards then window. I followed suit and walked after him until I stood next to him at the window. I saw him point downward towards the street below. "Look and tell me what you see."

I turned my focus towards where he was pointing and scouted the street below. The ruins were all around the building we were in but that wasn't all that I saw. There were refugees and homeless individuals, making camps and homes within the fallen buildings; they were constantly trafficking in and out of the remains.

"There are street dwellers living around here, but why would they live in the warzone area and not in the N-Zone where there was a cease fire?"

"Exactly... something within the N-Zone is keeping these other refugees from wanting to stay there, otherwise they'd all be there because they would feel safer."

Suddenly a scream rang out, causing me to fall to my knees as the ear splitting sound echoed throughout my mind. I folded my ears down and held them in place, hoping to drown out the sound but to no avail. I tried opening my eyes to see if Todd was alright but I was shocked to see that he was kneeling next to me, perfectly fine. Rather it looked like he was trying to speak to me as if he couldn't hear the scream at all. I couldn't withstand the sound anymore and I could feel myself getting dizzy from it, causing the room to spin then suddenly I felt a pain on my arm and head as everything around me went black.

---

"Come now my friend... mustn't keep me waiting..."

"Who are you... where are you?"

A snickering laugh could be heard reverberating all around me, "Hehehe, come on Ein... you should know by now..."

I strained my eyes to try to see through the pure darkness, but only in vain. "Show yourself..."

"Why... that would only spoil the fun and that would be so dreadfully boring."

My patience with this person was wearing thin. I couldn't see who it was, didn't recognize them, and all I could feel was my own heart pounding deep inside me. This place where I was... the air felt different, it was making it hard to breathe...

"Aww come on Ein... I'm sure you can figure it out, after all, you already have seen me before; well at least partially hehe..."

"Damnit! I do not have time for this; just reveal yourself!"

I heard another sinister giggle then a pause. The silence was menacing and only served to increase my paranoia... What if this person was right behind me and I didn't even know it? They could easily attack me right now or torture me, but instead play some twisted version of hide-n-seek. Suddenly a loud thud was heard, followed by a low scraping noise that alternated, as if someone was walking around.

"You want a hint my friend?"

I growled lowly, "I am not your friend..."

"Tch Tch, come now... don't be a spoiled sport, just answer yes or no."

This was going to drag on if I keep resisting playing this unknown's game, so I sighed and nodded as if he could see it. "Yes, I would like a hint..."

"Hehehe ok, hmm.... I don't want to make it too easy for you... Oh! I know the perfect hint!"

I could hear the footsteps stop then start to grow louder until I could feel a change in the air movement... this person was right next to me, but I couldn't move, my body was immobile. I lifted my head up and asked plainly.

"What is the hint...?"

"Here... you can have this..."

"What do you me-" Suddenly I felt this cold object touch my paw. It was small and made of metal from what I could tell. I slowly tried to slide my fingers around, trying to imagine the object through touch. Then in an instant, my thoughts cracked slightly when I felt a dip in the shape... it was a spoon...

"It can't be..."

"Hehehe, maybe that was too big of a hint."

My mind was in shambles... what was going on here? Where am I? I needed answers... but before I could open my mouth, I felt a small paw on my shoulder and then hissing in my ear that ran chills down my spine.

"Enjoy the gift... and don't worry, she gives her regards too... hehehehe."

Suddenly I felt the presence of the person vanish and I was left standing, shaking, and completely dumbfounded as I turned my head down as if to look at the object left in my paws. I grasped it in my paw and started to take a step forward only fall into what seemed like an endless pit. I struggled to find something to grab onto but it was hopeless...

---

"Ein! Come on man, snap out of it!"

A voice... I could feel my senses returning and there was this voice calling out to me again and again. I opened my eyes slowly and saw a bright light above me as everything came into focus.

"Jeez dude, you really know how to give someone a good scare."

The voice again... I turned my head and saw Todd smiling but with a concerned look. Where was I? My focus turned around and I could see myself in a familiar setting... the infirmary.

"Hey! He's awake!"

My ears perked and I tilted my head back to see Duke hovering over me with a light to my eye, causing me to recoil slightly. Why was I in here? I turned my attention to Todd and he seemed to know what was on my mind.

"I don't know what happened to ya Ein. You fell to your knees, holding your ears and screaming in agony. Duke and I had to carry you here and hold you down because you were thrashing around."

I shook my head and slowly started to rise up off the table, trying to gather what happened. "I wasn't anywhere else?"

Todd gave me this confused look. "No, I've been in here with you in case you ever woke up and it's a good thing I did."

I guess it was just a dream then... the last thing I needed to worry about was some episode going on without anyone knowing. I nodded at Todd and slowly started to rise off the table when a sound caught everyone's attention. I suddenly looked down and within a moment, felt my heart sink inside of me...

Todd kneeled down and picked up the object off the ground next to me, looking at it with a puzzled expression. "When did you get this Ein?"

I stared at the object in his hand, feeling my body shake slightly. My mind began racing as everything rushed back... the voice, the laugh, and feeling of the paw... all of it seemed like a distant dream only a moment ago, just to come rushing back because of this...

"Ein... you ok man?"

It was the very same object that person gave me... the spoon. There was only thing that mattered at this very moment and I knew I needed an answer. I grabbed the spoon from his paw and shoved it into my pocket, then turned to face him.

"Where is Snowy?"