FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The day was like any other day, the sun was shining, children were at play with their parents watching them closely. Jake walked out of his apartment and took a deep breath of fresh air before walking to work. His orange tail swayed slowly behind him as he greeted the ones he passed. Everyone happily responding with a "hi" or a "good mornin'" as he swiftly made his down the street.

He arrived at Skyle Industries, ready to take his seat in his cubicle and work his nine hour shift. His greetings did not let up when he entered, still giving everyone a good morning. However, no one responded, no one even gave him any attention. He shrugged it off and took the stairs to his floor.

Arriving on his floor he was greeted with a woman signing a paper next to the stairwell. He was curious yet knew he had to get to his spot before his boss scolded him for being late. Jake sunk into his chair and manned his computer, his ears perking up excitedly to start the work day. A snow leopard wearing a deep blue shirt and skirt caught his attention as she swiftly walked past his work space. "Maybe she's new," he thought to himself, then shook his head and brought his attention back to the computer screen.

It finished booting up with a loud, almost screaming noise. He gave out apologies to busy ears and promptly put his log in information into the machine. The screen went to static for a second before going to the screen he saw for over a year now. He cracked his fingers and waited for a notification of a user requesting assistance. He waited and waited yet nothing, nothing popped up.

Soon it was break time, so he signed off and made his way to the break room. There was only a Doberman in the break room, it was a close friend of Jake's. "Hey Rick! Slow day today right? I got nothing the entire time." Jake called to his friend who just sat there eating alone. "You wouldn't mind if I joined you right?" He sat down next to the canine and brought out two saggy pieces of bread. Rick shivered a bit then looked around, giving out a soft sigh before finishing his lunch and standing up.

"Done already bud? Heh, you always did finish before me." Jake giggled as Rick threw his trash away and exited the room. Jake finished the two pieces of bread and stood up, throwing out the paper bag and stepping out. He didn't directly return to his cubicle due to the fact he had ten more minutes. Jake stretched then remembered the snow leopard he saw before. "I guess I could go greet the new girl, show her some of my wicked charm." He brushed the top of his head back, his paw running through his orange fur.

He scanned the entire office yet could not find the feline. Feeling defeated, Jake returned to his station, concluding that she must have been from a different floor. When the fox returned, he noticed his computer's background changed to a deep crimson. He admired it for a few seconds before continuing his wait for a call to action. Three hours pass and nothing, as he was juggling the idea of playing a game of Solitaire a notification popped up. "Finally," he thought, "I get to do what I am being paid to do." He opened the notification that lead to a chat box with a swift greeting from the other one that resided in the same box.

"Hello" popped on screen which Jake quickly responded to with his usual greet. When he asked for the person's name they responded with, "STA, but you may call me Sally." He smiled and responded with, "My name is Jake, its a pleasure to make your acquaintance. So what is it that you need assistance with?" There was a long pause after this, as if time decided to take a break.

"I need help with life, how do you take one's life without being directly responsible for it?" It came out of nowhere an caught Jake completely off guard. He stared at the letters on the screen, thinking of the actions he could take to get himself out of this. "You do realize these chats are monitored, yes? Also Skyle Industries does not associate itself with such things, we only work with Skyle products." Instantly it responded with, "But you know, you know how to. I want you to tell me how to take someone's life without being directly responsible with it."

Jake stared at the screen in horror, "What does this Sally think I've done? What do they think I've done." He thought to himself, breathing heavier now. As he typed out his next message, it was slower due to how shaky his paws were. "I don't know who or what you are. I have not done such things, stop trying to slander me, I have this chat saved and will report it to the police."

Jake waited for a response back, staring at the screen as he began to sweat. A hour passes with him fixated on the screen. As he hovered his mouse over the close button on the chat box a message popped up. "Are you going to run away again? Just like last time?" A blurry image made its way onto his computer screen. He could tell it was a person standing there, a deep blue shirt and skirt. It looked as if he she was crying yet he couldn't make it out clearly. It seemed she was standing on a cliff's edge, an endless blue sea behind her.

"What is this? What are you talking about "like last time"? I demand you tell me!" He slammed his enter key, no longer caring if he drew attention to himself in the office. After the message the chat, along with the image, closed and the computer signed him off. He looked over at the clock that hung in his cubicle and sighed in relief. "Phew, finally done..."

After gathering his stuff, he made his way back to the stairwell. He glanced over to the paper that was hung next to the door, the only thing he was able to make out was remember. As he walked down the street, it seemed off to him. It was darker than what it should have been for the time. There was no one around, no children playing, no cars driving along. He shrugged it off then turned down his street, his apartment complex in sight of him now.

When he reached the door to his apartment complex, he noticed in the window his reflection. Within the reflection was also four people standing across the street. He turned around to see four figures standing there. Their faces were blurred out, yet it seemed as if they were upset by something. He took a step towards the street and called out, "Hey, you guys alright?" With a blink of his eyes the figures were gone, no traces of them left behind. Jake quickly entered his building and fumbled with his keys to unlock his door. He shivered from a cold chill before entering his warm apartment.

The door closed shut behind him then he was showered with the warm comfort of his home. It was his sanctuary, his place for him and no one else. Jake checked the answering machine as he dropped his stuff and sat down on his couch. Stripping out of his shirt and sighing softly, staring at the ceiling. There is...One...New message. Replaying message, "Jake man! I missed ya, where have you been? You're never around anymore and I am kinda worried about ya. I know you were in that big cave in when you were on vacation and all, everyone keeps telling me there was no way you got out of it since they never recovered your body. Yet, I know you, I know you got out, you had to have gotten out right? Whenever you get this, call back alright? It would be great to hear your voice again." Beep...End of new messages.

It was Rick, he saw him that day. "What is he talking about? I saw him today at work..." Jake reached over and picked up the phone, dialing Rick's number. It rang three times before getting picked up. "Hey! Jake! Jake is that you!?" Rick's voice called out from the other side. "Yeah man its me. I don't know why you should be surprised, I saw..." "Hello? Anyone there? This isn't funny ya know." Rick cut Jake off, as if Jake wasn't even talking. Jake's paw was shivering now, the warmness of his home wearing off. "Rick..." His voice cracked as he felt tears slide down his cheek. On the other side he could hear heavy breathing and light sobbing as well. "Listen, whoever this you better knock it off. I don't know how you got Jake's number but please...Don't use it. I am waiting for him to call back." After that the phone was hung up.

Jake sat there, petrified with the phone still held up to his ear. The dial tone echoing into his ear before it slipped out of his paw. "What is going on here...? He heard me, didn't he? If so, why would he say that..? Its as if my voice doesn't work anymore." He looked back up at the ceiling, searching for an answer that he couldn't find. Sudden memories flashed back into his mind like a bullet going through his skull. Rocks and rumble all around him, not able to move them, too weak, couldn't save himself. The only item seen being a flashlight, deeper into the cave, deeper, falling, hitting a rock, darkness. Jake began to sob lightly at first, before letting out his emotions fully. He realized it, there was no way he was at work. His vision blurred from his tears before going into darkness once more. As he opened his eyes slowly, a flashlight lay in front of him, shining its light into a rocky wall.