FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Soft sobbing could be heard in the darkness of a small room, where the only source of illumination streamed through a window, the curtain slightly drawn to give a small glimpse of the darkening neighbourhood outside where the streetlights lit up one by one.

The red symbols of a digital clock glowed from what looked like a small end-table, where various photos of a white rabbit boy who looked no older than 16 stood beside a sky blue salamander with blonde hair rested beneath the red glimmer. The two of them were grinning for the camera as the sun cast a dusky glow over the cityscape behind them.

On the bed beside the end-table laid the rabbit boy, near naked save a pair of blue boxer briefs and plain white socks as he curled up in the cold of his room, the covers undrawn as he cried tears that glittered under the light of the street lamp just outside. He hugged a spare pillow close to muffle his sounds as one by one did warm tear drops drip onto the bed. From the solitude of his room, the rabbit could hear the arguing of two distinct voices outside his room, a faint light filling the seams of the closed doorway. The rabbit screwed his eyes shut as he tried to curl up closer to himself, as if to try and disappear.

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Not too far away in the neighbourhood, the young salamander sat in the front passenger seat of a car where his older brother sat at the wheel. The young salamander looked out the window, eyes glazed with unshed tears, as he began to think about the same painful memories.

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A fade of white.

Flashes of moments going by, yet no noise or words could be heard. There was a rabbit and salamander on a day out to the city. First they went to the Cinema, then Lunch at the Food Court, then looking through the videogames at the retailers, and then finally the photos...

Another fade of white.

A scene, as silent yet happy as before, with the two friends playing videogames together for what seemed like ages. Their faces seemed to laugh, but nothing of the like could be heard.

A final fade of white.

It was that moment, the utter quiet unchanged but the mood was now different. There were no smiles this time. It was in a bedroom that was painted sky blue with a wall covered in drawings and written stories. A window to the fiery glow of the sun setting over the neighbourhood, letting in the orange light over the two friends as one tried to embrace the other in a sudden moment.

But a subtle hand stopped the anxious heart, a gentle halt and yet strong enough to shatter the heart of the rabbit. The glimmer of sunset in the sad amber eyes of the apologetic Salamander, but the sorry words that went unheard in the memories could not heal the pain. Instead the rabbit smiled weakly and backed away, feeling all the more like a fool.

No sooner had it happened, the rabbit left with only a word of goodbye. After a few moments, the Salamander saw that the rabbit forgot to pick up his handheld console before leaving. But before he could call out his name, the door was shut, and the rabbit was gone, running away from his foolishness.

A sudden fade of black...

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The sound of glass being shattered disturbed the rabbit, who lifted his head slightly and yet became even stiller than before. An angry shout echoed throughout the house.

"Getting that close to another boy in a hug is beyond Bromance!" The voice shouted out. "Don't you get it, woman? That boy is gay!" A sharp intake of breath could be heard as the rabbit cringed in pain, his breathing becoming rapid and shallow as the tears came flooding back like the painful memories beneath.

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Fade of white light. High School, the beginning of Winter and Second Term, the first day of return from two weeks of holidays. And the pain of yesterday was still so real and as hard felt in the memory.

"I'm sorry..." A voice whispered on the gentle breeze of May, the withered leaves of the trees flying through the grounds. The Year 7 Area was deserted at that time of morning, as the two friends spoke again.

"I wish I could love you the same way..." The voice whispered again. The rabbit shook his head slowly, his lips twitching slightly in indecision.

"No... I... I'm sorry..." He stuttered. Tears welled up in his eyes as he mustered the strength to say it. Instead, he threw his arms around the salamander suddenly and held him close, the rabbit's eyes shut tight to stop the tears. "Let's just still be friends... Please..." He whispered.

Arms embraced the rabbit as the salamander hugged the rabbit ever closer. The rabbit slowly opened his eyes, and for the first time in a while, a tender smile appeared on his face as he rested on the salamander's shoulder and looked away.

But it was moment of happiness short lived, as the rabbit, eyes widening all of a sudden, realized in a horrifying twist of fate.

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The salamander pressed his eyes onto his arm, feigning fatigue to hide his sadness from the eyes of his older brother, who murmured words that seemed to echo far away. The salamander tried to hold back the pain he felt then as he did at the time.

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"Hahah! Look at the cute fags together!" A cruel girl's voice resonated.

A harsh chilly wind blew; the whispering leaves now a cacophony of whistling air through the bars of the windows of the neighbouring school block.

"Jacob... Jacob...!" A voice called out. The salamander shook the stunned rabbit, who felt as if everything was falling away. "Don't worry, we can do something about it! We--" A voice began assuredly, but like hope it was abruptly cut off by the ringing of the school bell, vastly different yet reminiscent of a tolling bell to the young rabbit.

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The rabbit let go of his pillow and slowly sat up, weakly supported by his right arm as he held one leg close to his chest with the other. He looked towards the photos before the clock that clearly showed 7:46 PM.

Turning around to sit on the edge of his bed, the rabbit reached out for the photos. But as his hands pulled away the photos, an amateur paper flyer flittered and descended to the floor.

Setting aside the photos, the rabbit reached down for the evil flyer and plucked it from the darkness of the floor before holding it under the red glow of his clock. His heart then began to ache as the familiar agony kept coming back.

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MEET HEARTLAKE HIGH'S NEW GAY FAG COUPLE:

REKS ELSMAN AND JACOB CARTER

It was the day after the news spread through the internet like wildfire. Now the news was on paper, the photo of the rabbit and salamander hugging each other close printed on dozens of flyers that were posted anywhere and everywhere in the high school.

The salamander watched sadly as the rabbit tore down a flyer in anger and walked away, trying to get away.

It was soon after that his parents got the news...

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The salamander stepped through the doorway and ran upstairs to his room without a sound, even as his older brother called out after him.

Door slammed shut, lock clicking into place, and so quickly after did he throw himself onto his bed. The silence following dragged on as the salamander rested so still, wishing that it was all a dream.

But when he raised his head to look up, he saw the handheld console from that day, and felt hopeless as the world seemed to jeer at him.

"It's you against me. What are you going do...?"

The salamander's eyes stared out into thin air, as if he could see something beyond the cage of his room.

Then, it was as if lightning struck, a fire started in his heart. He picked up the handheld device and picked up his mobile phone, his fingers playing with the buttons quickly as he dialled a number from contacts.

"I want to make this right..." He whispered to the air as he paced across his room, the dialling tone droning on and on as he felt more and more anxious.

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The photos fell to the floor as the flyer was crushed and crumpled with anger and anguish, pegged at the wall as the rabbit stood up and walked over to his dressing table, the drawers drawn and shirts were taken out.

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The phone rang, and the father answered soon after.

"Hello?" He answered rudely. There was a pause.

"Is Jacob there...?" A voice asked softly. The father's brow furrowed.

"Who is this?" He asked sternly. The caller hesitated.

"It's Reks... I wanted to talk to Jacob." He answered. The father frowned.

"Are you that... That kid?" The father suddenly asked. There was another uncertain pause.

"I'm sorry sir... I don't know what you mean." The father slammed the phone down on the handset and hung up. The mother looked up for a moment as the Father walked outside, the front door slamming behind him.

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The rabbit pulled the end table along across the carpet, the clock and all the other things that was on it had been left on the ground in a pile where it was before. The rabbit took deep breaths as he pulled along, his hands grazing on the corners of the piece of furniture. The sound of ringing could be heard again as he tossed the end table over on its side.

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The salamander sat on his bed, the console held tightly in his left hand as he held the phone anxiously in his right. His heartbeat picked up and synced up with the dialling tone that continued.

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The rabbit stepped up onto the End Table slowly, his improvised noose held tight in his hands as he stood on top of the end table. He looked up to the fan that was held securely into place as he tied the noose around the fan. He then stepped down, and put the end table right way up.

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Slowly, the mother picked up the phone and finally answered the call.

H-H... Hello...?" She nervously answered. There was a pause. "Who is it...?" The mother asked. The voice hesitated once more, but then answered clearly.

"It's Reks... I..." He began, and then stopped. "I need to talk to Jacob..." The mother glanced to the front door for a moment, and began to think.

"I... Don't think..." She started to murmur.

"Please... Let me talk to Jacob..." The voice cried. The mother glanced down the hallway for a few seconds. She then sighed softly and nodded.

"Okay, just please wait for a moment." She replied.

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Two more tears, with a third falling upon white fur. Knees and shins resting on the end table top, the rabbit pulled the improvised noose knot over his head and tightened it around his neck. His breathing was already shallow, more so than ever before, the look in his tearful eyes hopeless and afraid.

A fourth tear dropped... A deep breath.

And one last look up to the heavens beyond the ceiling of plaster above the unmoving fan, and at that moment the locked door could be heard refusing entry to whoever was trying to turn the knob.

A final tear and closed eyes... And the pain was cut away in a final crack of bone.

Three quick knocks.

"Jacob...? Honey, what's going on?" A voice called from behind the door.

No reply...

More knocking.

"Honey, open the door please..." The voice asked. "Your friend Reks wants to talk to you... Please open up..." The voice went on.

Only silence returned.

"... Jacob...?" The voice finally said with the sound of worry and fear in her tone. The jangling of keys could be heard as the door was unlocked and opened, letting the warm light of the hallway flood the room, and ultimately reveal the frightening nightmare unthinkable.

A sudden shocked gasp parted the silence, and subsequently the phone fell out of her hands.

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Thud!

The handheld console struck the carpet floor after slipping out of the salamander's weakening hands, his eyes widened as he heard the screams. Frozen in shock and horror, he only held onto the phone tighter and tighter, unable to hang up as he could only imagine what had happened.

After what seemed like an eternity, he hung up the phone and let his arm fall to his side, his eyes no longer as wide as they were now glazed with solemn woe. Slowly but surely, he fell to his knees.

Thud...

His breath became shallow, as he began to refuse the reality he had just realized.

"Jacob... ... Is dead..."

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he slowly uttered those words, shaking his head.

"No... No, he... He can't be... Jacob--" The salamander whispered, the phone dropping out of his hand. Suddenly he lifted head and hands; only to throw it all back down, hitting the floor as he screamed.

"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" The voice of anguish screamed throughout the room, and silence spare sobbing returned once more.

This can't be happening...