FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Ray woke up to a noise he couldn't comprehend as it was what ripped him from his sleep. He couldn't get a full night's rest nowadays. It was dark, so Ray had only gotten a few hours in.

He heard it again, more pronounced; it was a groan that sounded of pain and suffering.

"Are you serious?" Ray sat up to look out the window while pulling his pants up. It was nearly pitch black, and the heavy rain made it more difficult to see, but he could faintly make out a person, and as his eyes adjusted, he could see that there were multiple. "Nowhere to go..." Ray watched them lurk aimlessly, somewhat resembling normal beings. It would be risky to try and sneak away, but that would be his and Crystal's safest option since they were outnumbered.

Ray left the window and got off the bed to get his pistol. He didn't want to wake Crystal yet. He flinched and clutched his chest upon hearing glass shatter. That had to come from the Poké Mart next door, which meant they could break into this house next.

Ray looked at Crystal. "Agh... I can't leave her by the window." He set his firearm on the bed for a second and picked her up, waking her in the process. He let her front paws drape over his shoulder and hugged her back with one arm to hold her up, his pistol in his free hand. "Sorry, Crystal, we have trouble outside." Ray took light steps to the front door to ensure it was locked, then crouched beside it to listen.

A part of Crystal wanted him to set her down, but she still felt disoriented and had to gather herself more.

Ray leaned against the wall while waiting for a sign that the infected would try and force their way into the house, but the patter of rain and frequent thunder didn't make that easy.

He soon heard footsteps by the door, causing him to hold his breath and hug Crystal tighter. Ray had to get out of this region. At this rate, he and Crystal would be dead in less than a week.

He went stiff after hearing more shuffling and moans nearby. It was harder to stay calm in a perilous situation than he thought, but Ray had to try keeping his composure to make rational decisions.

Crystal twitched her ears upon hearing the noise and shut her eyes to scan, holding it upon sensing so many entities and exhaling upon release. There were over twenty, which told her any action that wasn't leaving was beyond a questionable one.

The infected would likely break the door down, and the scariest part was that Ray couldn't let them lay a hand on him or Crystal. He started panicking mentally and knew he would have to find somewhere to hide with her.

"W-We have to hide before they get in," he whispered. He barely wanted to move, never mind think. His mind was scattered. He was frozen, and his arms shook while holding Crystal.

That was when she knew she had to take matters into her paws. Crystal wriggled her way out of Ray's hold and glanced back at him while walking to the hall.

"Crys-" there was a loud bang on the door, causing him to flinch again. Ray quickly got up and followed as she trotted into the next room, which appeared to be a dressing one. There were dressers against the walls and a door in the left corner. "Closet." Ray pointed Crystal toward it.

He went and opened it. Many shirts, pants, and jackets were hanging up, so the closet would conceal them to an extent. Ray stepped inside, pulled the clothes, then closed the door and sat, putting Crystal in his lap.

She kept silent and faced the door. This wasn't the best spot when twenty or more bodies out for blood would barge in. Hopefully, they'd spread out once inside because she and Ray would have no chance otherwise.

He heard another sequence of thuds and wondered why they weren't just breaking windows. Perhaps the virus wasn't that smart, although it had almost shot Ray, so it could be very smart.

There was only one way to escape this closet, so the infected could find and corner them, and if not, how long would they occupy the home? Ray's backpack was still in the bedroom. He hoped they wouldn't tamper with it, but he may have to leave it behind anyway. "We have to try and keep track of their whereabouts. I need you to scan once they're in."

They hid just in time. Ray heard several thuds, followed by the front door hitting the floor, and knew the infected would find them if enough searched the house at once.

There was a beat of silence before footsteps and wheezing filled the living room. They'd see Ray's backpack for sure.

Crystal was prepared to burn more holes into carcasses if necessary. She shivered while feeling the grim alteration in the air as an infected entered, listening closely to each step and gauging the distance, then scanning as Ray instructed. It wasn't easy to pinpoint the group's precise location, but many were nearby. Crystal would charge a psybeam when this one touched the doorknob.

"Let me know when they're close..." Ray whispered, and moments after, he heard steps enter the room, along with the gross noises they made.

He brought his pistol up and waited for the door to open. The groans stopped before it, and Ray could hear a creak in the floorboards because they were so close.

He saw the knob move and further aimed his pistol where he assumed the assailant's upper body would be. It was crucial that he didn't miss the shot. He got a whiff of the body's pungent stench and gagged. "Ready..."

One step ahead. Crystal glared at the door and prepared her attack. The inside of her mouth flickered a dull yellow, steadying and getting brighter as she charged the beam. It sounded almost like an airy engine winding up, though not as loud. If the infected wanted to kill them, they'd have to be willing to die a second time.

It was pulled open slowly, and Ray fired twice as soon as a silhouette was in view. The first bullet whizzed past its victim's face, but the second hit them in the chest.

"Es!" It was hastily followed by Crystal shooting a clean psybeam through their throat, no blood involved. Her backside pressed against Ray due to the attack's recoil. Crystal was glad to have mastered that attack enough to kill on the spot when required. Now, if only she could tear someone apart with psychic.

The body collapsed onto the floor, and the ruckus had to have alerted the rest. This would get worse before it got better.

"Now, now!" Ray got up while holding Crystal and set her on the floor after stepping over the decaying body, standing by her. If one of them had to suffer the rapids, he wouldn't let it be Crystal if he could help it. He knew there were more infected inside the house, so he wouldn't leave the room-- through the doorway, that was.

Ray looked next to them at the closed window, which was their safest option, and he had to act quickly on it. He heard heavy footsteps accompanied by shudder-inducing screeches closing in.

Ray and Crystal couldn't take all of them on, and he didn't want to stick around to test that. "Out the window." He ran to it and, with struggle, managed to pull it upward. "C-Come on, hurry." He waited for Crystal to trot and prime herself under it before hopping out himself.

"Just run!" Ray yelled back while heading towards the city's exit. She had four legs, so he wasn't worried about her falling behind, but those infected could undoubtedly catch up to him. His backpack was forever lost, and it'd slow them down if he was carrying it.

Crystal was right behind Ray and glanced back to see a horde of over thirty infected chasing them. They were wearing torn, dirty outfits that resembled what the miners of Oreburgh once wore.

She never thought she'd see this actively chasing them. It was something out of fiction, and Crystal had sat through a few films when they watched them with Ray's mother.

Ray saw the horror behind them too and had no idea how to lose them. It was unfair. How was one supposed to survive this? He had a few shots in his pistol and no magazines.

He looked around for anything to help them escape. There were homes all around, and they were passing the museum. Ray trusted nothing here, though, and hiding was too risky. Who knew how many infected were occupying Oreburgh?

They were approaching Route 206, the straight gated bike road that stretched for miles they took to get here. It would be like running a marathon, and Ray couldn't do that, nor could Crystal. In fact, he would have to slow down or stop soon to catch his breath. His chest burned with every huff. He hoped Crystal wouldn't tire either, as they couldn't afford to slow down.