FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

This is the first ever thing I've written for this sight or really any site. I enjoy writing even though at times I think I'm a bit of a hack. So what I'm saying, I guess, is be nice to my poor little story. If you see ways I can improve please feel free to leave a constructive comment. It would also be nice if you told me if you liked the story. I'm thinking I might turn this into a series, maybe, but I'm not sure, so for right now, it's only a stand alone story, (sorry if you wanted naughtiness, but I wanted to establish the characters and world first a tinny bit.)

Oh also keen eyed readers will see a reference to Stephen King's "The Stand" and yes a little bit of the story is inspired by that one.

A young fox stood looking out a large window his arms, a troubled look on his brow. He tapped his paw on the tile floor. He felt sick with worry. His mother had been rushed to the hospital, Flynn had to call in sick to rust to the hospital to make sure she was okay. He arrived just as she'd been rushed into the ICU. Flynn had to dodged full beds and coughing people to get up to the ICU only to learn that he couldn't see his mother. She'd been quarantined. Flynn was beside himself with worry, he couldn't get any kind of answer. All he knew was he wasn't leaving until he knew something. Which was turning out to be pretty hard, as he'd been there two days and the ward had become even more crowded. The staff was clearly being taxed to their limit, but he still couldn't help but be mad at them for not giving him any kind of answer.

"Mister Beaumont?" A voice called all behind from him.

Flynn turned around to see a haggard looking lemur in scrubs. "Yes?"

"I'm glad to have found you, I was worried you'd been lost in the madness, I'm here to speak to you about you're mother."

"Yes finally. Thank you. Is she alright, what was wrong with her, can I see her?" He asked relief washing over him. His tail moved back and forth showing just how relieved he was. But the look on the nurse's face stopped his tail.

"Mister Beaumont...You're mother has some kind of virus...we're trying everything we can, but it's totally unknown to us," The nurse paused.

Flynn's world felt like the bottom had fallen out. "W-what does that mean? You are a hospital! There has to be something you can do, you have to have something somewhere or some book to tell you what it is." He said loudly gaining looks from nearby people and making the poor woman jump slightly.

"Mister Beaumont, it's not that simple, we have no idea what we're dealing with, and your mother isn't even the only case like this we have. We've tried everything on your mother we can think of-"

Flynn cut in suddenly "Look, if it's a money thing don't worry. She has enough, I can even pay, my dad left us both enough when he died. Don't think it's a problem, anything it takes, just make her better." He said his eyes beginning to burn

"Mister Beaumont, it's not a matter of money, it's a matter of time, we've just run out."

Flynn fell back against the window and slid down the wall breaking down. He couldn't loose his mother he just couldn't, this wasn't happening to him it was a bad dream.

The nurse knelt down and put her paw on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Mister Beaumont."

He sniffed rubbing his nose on the back of his paw, and blinking the tears away, he looked to the lemur. "Can I see her, please? I don't care if she's already..." His voice broke and he looked down. "I just need to see her one last time." He said his voice coming out in a squeak.

"Yes Mister Beaumont, that's why I was looking for you, she's awake, and asking for you, we're not sure how long she has but the last of her time should be spent with you" The nurse held her paw out and he took it, she helped him up. "This way." She said and was off. Flynn followed his claws clicking ever so slightly on the tile floor. His head had gone numb, as he followed. He and the nurse passed beds in the halls with coughing patients. Flynn looked at the people standing by the beds, he couldn't help but wonder if these people had the same thing as his mother.

The nurse stopped at a desk and grabbed a mask. "Here Mister Beaumont where this just to be safe, we aren't sure how it's passed."

He nodded as he fit the surgical mask over his snout.

"This room here, just press the call button when...you're ready to leave." She said looking at Flynn, silently telling him she understood what he was going through.

"Thank you" He said softly. As he turned to enter the nurse walked away, he spotted a terrible hacking sound and turned to see the nurse coughing into her arm, before straightening up and walking away.

Flynn entered the room slowly. His mother was sitting up in the bed. Though she wore a smile she didn't look well. Large clumps of fur were missing from her neck and face, and her hair looked very thin.

"Hello Flynn, I'm happy they were able to find you, the nurse had said she didn't know where you'd gone."

Flynn was taking aback by her voice, even is she looked like death, it was fine. Just as chipper and powerful as it had always been. "Y-yeah. I've been here since I got your call." he said walking closer to the bed and sitting in the chair. "I told you to get that cough looked at didn't?" He said with a weak smile. With the way she sounded there was no way the nurse had been right, this wasn't a fox dying. There had to be a different Mrs. Beaumont.

"Yes you did, I wish I'd listened to you sweetie maybe then I'd have had more time, and they could have done something for me."

"What do you mean mom? You sound great" He said.

"I know it's weird Flynn, but I feel it. This is nearly the end, but it's okay, your father has been waiting for me." She said matter of factly just like she was just meeting him at the movies and then lunch.

"M-Mom, don't talk like that. You'll be fine." He said his eyes burning once more. You'll be out in a few days." He said desperately wanting her to agree.

"No, no. I know Flynn. It's almost time. Don't worry though everything well be okay."

Flynn choked and broke down again even harder. "Mom you can't die, please don't." He sobbed.

"Shh Flynn don't cry. Come here." She motioned for him to move the chair closer.

Flynn pushed it right next to her bed, and rest his head on her shoulder like he'd done when he was younger. "You can't mom. You promised." He knew he was sounding like a cub, but he didn't care, this was the woman that had been his mother and father since he'd been six. She'd taught him everything. "Remember? When dad died, you said you'd always be there. You promised me, please don't break your promise." He cried.

His mother stroked his hair like she use to do so many years ago when he'd been upset. "I know I did sweetie, I know, but I can't keep it. I'm sorry, but remember what I said about your dad always being in your heart? I'll be there too."

"It's not the same I want you here." He said still sounding like a cub, and still not giving a fuck.

"Hmm? Okay, I'll tell him?" His mother said.

Flynn looked up see his mother looking to the other side of the bed. "Mom...?" He asked lifting his head up.

"Flynn you're dad says he's very proud of what you've done with your life, and if he could have been with you he would have, but you grew into suck a strong fox even without him, he's asking if you'll be strong for him now."

Flynn rubbed his eyes, "Mom please stay with me, there's no one here." He said sounding scared. His mom was going over the edge, he could almost feel heat radiating off her from her fever, she had to be hallucinating.

His mother just gave a quick smile to him, then looked back to the same side of the bed where no one was. "Mhm, he's always been a realist. He wouldn't even believe in the tooth fairy with out proof. Yes I know, he takes after you." His mother was nodding. "Yeah I suppose that would work, but what don't I know?" Silence in which Flynn knew he was watching his mother's last few moments, and she was talking to someone that wasn't even there. "Really? Well it's not a big surprise actually, he only ever did bring that one girl home." She turned to Flynn. "Flynn honey, it's okay. I love you no matter who you love. You'll always be my baby just the same if you like women or men."

Flynn blinked stunned. This couldn't be, this had to be something to do with her fever. Flynn had never come out to his mom, sure he'd never really hid it, but he didn't flaunt or come right out and say anything. There was no way she could have known. A harsh coughing brought him back to reality.

"Sorry Flynn, I'd hoped it had passed." She said wiping her mouth. "Sweetie can you give me a little water please, my throat is dry."

Flynn gave his dying mother a sip of water from the cup on the tray next to the bed. They sat and talked about things, life memories, and plans that wouldn't come true. His mother's responses were always lucid, but were interrupted by long pauses where she'd zone out, or talk to the no one on the other side of her. Flynn guessed in her mind it was his father there with her too. After what felt like hours or even days of just sitting there squeezing what time he could out of his mother she looked at him, there was something hallow in her eyes, like the spark that had been there all his life was gone.

"Flynn, it's time." She said softly, can I have just one more hug from my baby boy? And see your face without that mask.?" Flynn paused, the nurse had told him to keep the mask on, but the pleading look on his mother's face won out. He removed the mask. She reached up and cupped his cheek. His mother spoke but not to him. "Yes, I've always thought so too, he takes after his daddy so much" She said fondly. By this point it was no longer off putting to Flynn, that she thought someone else was in the room. He stood and hugged his mother for the last time in his life. Tears fell down his nose as he sobbed into her shoulder.

He held her for a while, until the beeping of the Machine she'd been hooked up to went flat in one long note. Flynn stood, feeling hallow. He felt like his whole world had died. He reached for the remote and pressed the button calling the nurse. He gave it a few minutes but no one came. He pressed it again, then waited, nothing. Flynn walked to the door to flag a nurse down, but the hallway was in utter chaos. There was a group near one end all gathered around, Flynn walked down the hall to talk to a nurse. When he got there he was shocked to see what the commotion had been. The haggard looking lemur that had taken him to his mother's room, was on all fours in a coughing fit. Splats of blood on the floor.

"Mother of god what is going on?" A wide horse in pink scrubs said.

"I think the end of the world Ethel." Someone said in a hushed tone.

Flynn turned to leave, he didn't know where he was going, but he had to go somewhere. His world was getting hazier and hazier.

"Flynn." A voice called out over a long distance. "Flynn wake up." He felt the world collapse around him. "Wake up fox!"

Suddenly Flynn was jarred awake, with a yelp. "Hey relax it's just me." Flynn blinked in the dark to see who 'me' was. His eyes adjusted to the dark to see the face of a bear swim into his vision.

He coughed. "Ugh, sorry, I'm up. I'm up." He said sitting up, his back twinging in pain seeming to yell at him for sleeping on the ground.

"You must have been having a hell of a dream." Max the bear said. Flynn had been traveling with Max for a few weeks now. They found each other both trying to raid a store for some food. It was fortuitous for them. It seemed that after the virus, which had been dubbed 'Captain Trips' by the every man, people had gone crazy. Flynn had a few nasty run ins with people that wanted anyone that came near 'their stuff' dead. It had been hell sleeping for a while, since Flynn had been terrified that someone would break into his place looking for food or water or whatever else they wanted, find him and shoot him. So having a second person he could relay on was good. It gave him some sleep at night. They'd been walking for days now, the jeeps Max had ran out of gas, and they had to go on foot.

"Yeah...bad dreams." He said quietly, rubbing his stiff neck.

Max nodded, "I've had a few of those too." he said honestly.

"Hey why couldn't we stay in that place yesterday? It had beds, and doors and stuff." Flynn asked standing and stretching his back popping. "It beat the hell out of the ground."

"We'd have run out of supplies, and any hunting around there would have dried up quick. It's best if we move so we're always running into fresh game so we don't starve." Flynn frowned. He knew Max was right, but it still sucked. Though it was good that Max was an outdoors type guy. He knew how to hunt and fish, and all kinds of things the Flynn had no idea about. Having been a white collar guy Flynn felt like he might have been a drag on Max, but the tough bear hadn't shown any signs of annoyance. "Why don't you pack up camp and I'll plan our next move." He said. Flynn nodded and began rolling the sleeping bags up, they had no tent yet, Max said it was still nice so they didn't have to worry about the weight, but they'd get one when the nights got colder. Flynn packed the bags just like Max had shown him. Max had to carry the heavier pack otherwise Flynn would fall over, but he said it was alright.

In no time Flynn had the bags packed up tightly and ready to move. Max was still sitting on a rock looking down at something. Flynn walked over and peered over the shoulder. He almost couldn't believe his eyes. "Hey, that's a GPS right? How does it still even work? I though that thing would be as useless as a cellphone."

Max gave a quick laugh. Flynn liked when Max laughed, he just wished they had more reason to laugh. "Some are, but I lucked out at the house we stopped at. There wasn't much in the way of supplies, but I found this puppy." He said proudly, like a man holding a winning lotto ticket would. "It's survival one, for long hikes when means," He said flipping it over to show Flynn a panel. "Solar powered. The one I had before all this would have been useless after a few days, but as long as we have this we'll never be lost."

"But, don't they need a satellite or something?" Flynn asked.

"Well they're still up there, and they send the signal right to this, so there's no tower or anything."

"Oh." Flynn said simply. He guessed it didn't matter how the thing worked just that it did work. "Um, camp is all packed and ready to go oh great and mighty Magellan."

"Who?" Max said standing up, and grabbing his bag.

"Never mind." Max might not be the brightest but he was just the kind of person Flynn would want to be with in their situation.

"Alright then, oh don't forget your gun." He said pointing to the log that Flynn had propped the gun against last night. Personally Flynn hated guns, but Max had said it was best if he had some kind of protection. Flynn guessed he was right, but still he hated it. The fox had promised himself he'd never shoot the damned thing if he could help it. "Come on then." The bear said nodding holding his own weapon loosely in his arms.

With that Flynn Beaumont and Maxwell King set off into what was left of the world after the word ended.